As temperatures start to rise, Massachusetts wildlife experts are reminding residents to be aware that hungry bears are emerging from their winter dens and seeking food. 

MassWildlife officials advised residents to take down bird feeders because bears will often opt for “an easy meal at a backyard bird feeder,” ignoring seasonally available foods like skunk cabbage, acorns, or nuts. 

“Other species, including wild turkeys and coyotes, may also frequent bird feeders which can lead to more human-wildlife conflict,” they wrote in a release issued last month.

Garbage should be stored in closed containers in a garage or outbuilding and only moved to the roadside on the morning of pickup. 

“Individuals should also secure bee hives, chickens, and livestock,” they wrote. “Coops and chicken wire provide inadequate protection from black bears.” 

The only way to fully protect chickens or bee hives from bears is with electric fencing. 

Pets should be protected too, the organization said. It advised residents to check their yards before letting dogs outside and to keep them leashed on walks. 

“The presence of a dog could trigger a bear to be aggressive,” they said. “Never let dogs chase or interact with bears.”

MassDOT Safety issued a similar statement on social media that asked motorists to be “beary careful,” slowing down on wooded roads, using high-beam headlights, and scanning road edges. 

“Newly matured male cubs often cross roads between patches of forest, searching for their own territory,” the agency wrote in a post on X. 

Residents of northern Middlesex County, Worcester County, and western Massachusetts, where bears have been spotted, should be especially vigilant, MassWildlife said. There are at least 4,500 black bears in Massachusetts and they are expanding eastward.