Bears Foraging Near Town

Jay Barrett/KMXT

Bears on Kodiak are running out of salmon and berries and have started looking for food closer to town. Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Larry Van Daele says he’s been getting reports of bears sighted nearer civilization from Monashka Bay to Bells Flats. Yesterday afternoon he was called to the city landing strip on Mill Bay Road to shoo away a foraging bruin.

— (Bears 1 26 sec "It’s about a three or … trying to find food.")

He said this time of year, just before denning up for the winter, bears go into a feeding overdrive.

— (Bears 2 29 sec "It’s the time of year … which is pretty unusual.")

He said a couple of bears near State Airport have wandered onto the runway as well, and perhaps the same two have been spotted scratching for salmon on the Buskin River. One of those, Van Daele says, has learned that it can scare fisherman into dropping his rod and reel and getting an easy meal:

— (Bears 3 30 sec "Yeah, and that’s the … get it away from yourself.’)

Van Daele reminds residents to keep garbage and pet food off their porches. He says with all the bear awareness there is in Kodiak, he’s still amazed to find people not keeping bear attractants from their yards. He said the bears will continue to be closer to civilization for the next month, until it’s time for them to hit the hay.

###