Maine IF&W: Please Don’t Feed the Bears (At All) – or Birds (until July)
April 29, 2009
AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is strongly encouraging homeowners to not feed birds until July and to take other food odor prevention steps around their properties as ways to deter bears that could become a nuisance or danger.
Bears are coming out of hibernation throughout Maine and are in search of food that is not readily available to them at this time of year. They are drawn to bird feeders, garbage cans, Dumpsters and grills – where food or the odor of food is prevalent – or to areas where people believe it’s OK to leave food for them.
For birds, however, spring offers an abundance of natural food and therefore they don’t need to be fed by people. In addition, some birds this year have been inflicted with salmonella that has grown on rotten bird seed left over in or near feeders from last year. Read more
