BearWise helps people live responsibly with black bears

BearWise® is the black bear program you can trust for sound information and smart solutions that help homeowners, businesses and communities coexist with bears.

What to do if you see a black bear
Tips to avoid bear encounters

From the BearWise Article Bank

garden harvest

Are your gardens and landscaping BearWise?

A bear would need to forage all day to find as much food as it can harvest in an hour or two in a kitchen garden. No wonder bears are attracted to the nicely organized plots of nutritious, ready-to-eat produce that are sprouting up all over as more people decide ...
Read More
bear safety: black bear on road, dog on a leash

Are you a BearWise dog owner?

If you own a dog and live in or travel to bear country, eventually your dog may encounter a bear. Understanding why some dog-bear encounters end peacefully and others end with dogs and people being injured or killed can help keep people, dogs and bears safe. Bears don’t like to ...
Read More
Black bear cub in a tree

What bears do in May

May at a Glance: All bears visit all the places where they reliably found food last year. Cubs learn how to climb up (and down) trees and learn to “talk.” Cubs are still nursing, but start experimenting with bear food. Mother bears sometimes leave the youngsters alone and travel up ...
Read More
Read More BearWise Articles
Subscribe to our emails

Six At-Home BearWise Basics

Never Feed or Approach Bears

Intentionally feeding bears or allowing them to find anything that smells or tastes like food teaches bears to approach homes and people looking for more. Learn More

Secure food, garbage and recycling

Food and food odors attract bears, so don’t reward them with easily available food, liquids or garbage. Learn More

Remove bird feeders when bears are active

Remove bird feeders when bears are active

Birdseed and grains have lots of calories, so they’re very attractive to bears. Removing feeders is the best way to avoid creating conflicts with bears. Learn More

Never Leave Pet Food Outdoors

Feed pets indoors when possible. If you must feed pets outside, feed in single portions and remove bowls afterwards. Store pet food where bears can’t see or smell it. Learn More

Clean and Store Grills, Smokers

Clean and Store Grills, Smokers

Clean grills after each use and make sure that all grease, fat and food particles are removed. Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out. Learn More

Alert Neighbors to Bear Activity

See bears in the area or evidence of bear activity? Tell your neighbors and share info on how to avoid bear conflicts. Learn More

Did you know that black bear is a species; common colors include black, brown and cinnamon.

Do you spend time outdoors…

…hiking, walking, cycling, jogging, camping?

Read how to Be BearWise Outdoors.

A black bear sow and her two cubs stand in a forest clearing - Ontario, Canada

New BearWise Educational Materials

Visit BearWise Store to Find More

The Black Bear Comeback

Black bears once roamed over all of America’s forested lands. But after European settlement, their numbers and habitat dwindled. Thanks to new attitudes and enlightened conservation and management efforts, black bears are making a dramatic comeback over much of their historic home range. Now that bears are returning to areas they used to call home, it’s up to people and communities to learn how to peacefully coexist with these amazing animals.

BearWise shares ways to prevent conflicts, provides resources to resolve problems, and encourages community initiatives to keep bears wild.

BearWise logo-trademarked

The BearWise® program was developed by black bear biologists and is supported by State wildlife agencies. Read more About BearWise.

The BearWise® name and logos are registered trademarks of AWARE, America’s Wildlife Association for Resource Education

Top photo courtesy of Pat Gaines