In Washington state, a surveillance video from a residential home captured a black bear stealing a package left at the doorstep, serving as a reminder that parcels or takeout should not be left outside for too long.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recently shared the footage taken in front of a home in Ocean Shores on their Facebook page. The video shows the black bear carrying the package in its mouth as it slowly walks away from the porch.
According to the department, black bears are quite common in most areas of Washington state, including suburban and green belt areas near towns. As they prepare for hibernation in the fall and reawaken in the spring, they seek out high-calorie and easily accessible food sources.
Unfortunately for the bear in this incident, the package it took contained a sweater, not food. However, if bears get accustomed to finding high-calorie food in a certain area, they will keep coming back.
The department encourages bears to relocate and seek natural food sources by removing potential temptations. They remind people that if you order food from platforms like Uber Eats, be sure to retrieve it promptly after delivery to avoid it being stolen by these four-legged animals.
The American black bear is the most common and widely distributed bear species in North America, with populations present in most areas of Washington state except the Columbia Basin. The state also has grizzly bears, but they are currently limited to the northeast. Both species are known for their keen sense of smell, hibernation habits, and robust appetites.
As human populations continue to encroach on bear habitats, encounters between humans and bears are on the rise. Bears typically avoid humans, but conflicts can still occur, especially once they become accustomed to human-provided food sources.
The best way to avoid encountering bears at home is by removing high-calorie food sources that attract them. Measures include keeping trash cans inside the garage or using bear-proof containers, removing bird feeders (including hummingbird feeders), picking fruits from trees, and keeping small livestock like chickens and goats in secure fenced areas with overhead cover.
If you live in an area where black bears are known to frequent, never feed them and practice proper trash management. Bears can spend a considerable amount of time and energy digging, destroying, or climbing obstacles to access food, including garbage.
Regularly spraying trash cans and bins with disinfectants helps reduce odors that attract black bears. Store fish and meat scraps in the refrigerator until ready to dispose of them.