NV and CA agencies agree to cooperate on Tahoe bears

[Emily]

the story program limited to tourist ""education" though

http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/200 ... /151678779
State wildlife agencies partner up to tackle black bear problem





Staff Reports
May 23, 2008

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Bear problems in the Lake Tahoe Basin reached their highest level ever in 2007. Hoping to ward off a repeat year, state wildlife officials in California and Nevada have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement to share information, personnel, equipment and supplies in a cooperative black bear management program.
“This MOA is an important symbol of our two agencies coming together to tackle some unfortunate bear/human interactions in the Tahoe Basin,” said Department of Fish and Game Director Donald Koch in a press release.

NDOW and DFG are the Nevada and California state agencies with the jurisdictional authority and legal responsibility to protect, preserve and enhance native wildlife species and their habitats. Both agencies also possess the jurisdictional authority and legal responsibility to manage conflicts between the public and wildlife.

Both states border the Tahoe Basin, and both implement similar management actions to resolve black bear conflicts with the public.

“The citizens of Nevada and California want their states cooperating to make sure that the people living and visiting the Tahoe Basin leave as light a footprint as possible,” said Ken Mayer, Director of Nevada Department of Wildlife.

“The “Keep Me Wild” campaign teaches people to respect the natural wildlife beauty that is Lake Tahoe, including bears.”

With the start of the summer tourist season here, DFG and NDOW remind anglers, campers and hikers enjoying their state’s back country to follow simple precautions to limit bear encounters. A key element to safe recreating and camping in bear country is limiting food odors that attract bears.

“Problems begin when bears learn to associate an easy food supply with humans and developed areas,” said Doug Updike, DFG statewide bear program coordinator. “Once this happens, bears become habituated or conditioned to go after human food because it’s easy. If people don’t change their ways, the bear won’t either.”

California’s bear population is growing and is currently estimated to be between 25,000 and 35,000. Nevada has an estimated 350 black bears, mostly concentrated in the Tahoe Basin area. Bears are located throughout most of California where suitable habitat exists. Bear encounters are not isolated to wilderness settings. Both California and Nevada will be stepping up its efforts related to bear management in the Tahoe Basin this year, emphasizing preventative measures to keep bears from becoming a problem.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is teaching people to keep garbage away from bears,” said Carl Lackey, NDOW’s bear program coordinator. “The more people who understand that it is our responsibility to keep the bears wild, the better off bears and humans will be.”

The “Keep Me Wild” campaign, now used by both states, was developed as a public educational campaign in 2003 to help address the increasing number of conflicts between black bears (as well as deer, mountain lions and coyotes) and people. The campaign provides important tips for living and recreating safely near bear habitat and advice on what to do if you encounter one of these wild animals.

For information about agreement or the “Keep Me Wild” campaign visit the agencies’ respective Web sites at www.dfg.ca.gov or www.ndow.org.