Officials Seek Regulation On Bears Accessing Trash in Montana
Trash and bears has always been a battle in Montana.
At one point you've seen bear-proof garbage cans as well as signs and education on how to avoid the attraction of bears regarding refuse in both camping and residential areas in Montana.
According to NBC this week, health officials in Missoula county want to address the concern over bears and there love for trash as a food source in the surrounding areas such as Potomac, Pattee Canyon and the Rattlesnake area.
They seek to expand bear buffer zones around certain areas of Missoula County which entail using bear proof disposal units in more places on account of more places needing bear-proof containers.
Areas around the bear buffer zone were being ransacked by bears in recent times and the proposal seeks to also expand the bear migration area to justify the expansion of the bear buffer zones for bear equipped means of disposal.
READ MORE: Bumping Into Bears In Montana
From NBC, Environmental Health Director Shannon Therriault comments on thoughts of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks official Jamie Jonkel that specializes in bear conflict.
“The Potomac Valley, especially in the Union Creek area, is one of the worst ‘bear behavior traps’ I have seen in Western Montana,” Jonkel said. “Essentially, it has become a training ground for bears to seek food rewards from garbage.”
In the coming months if approved, could it lay precedent for other counties with continuing development to expand bear buffer zones in their area of Montana?
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