Bears and humans will learn to live apart
$850,000 program to train man and beast
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
BY TOM HESTER
Star-Ledger Staff
After shooting down a proposed bear hunt in December, Gov. Jon Corzine has budgeted $850,000 for an education program to keep the public and more than 3,000 black bears away from each other.
Budget details released yesterday showed Corzine's proposed 2007-08 budget includes $850,000 for a program for "nonlethal" management of New Jersey's 3,000 black bears.
Corzine and DEP Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson made bolstering the public education program and conditioning bears to avoid people a priority when they withstood pressure from hunters last fall to approve a bear hunt in northern New Jersey.
"We are certainly gearing up. The governor and commissioner are committed to finding a non-lethal strategy to deal with black bears," said DEP Deputy Commissioner for Natural Resources John S. Watson. "We are gearing up for important programs that would utilize that funding very efficiently."
Last year, there were 901 complaints of bears, down by 111 from 2005, but the figures included 44 home entries, 19 more attempts, one attack on a human -- the sixth in five years -- 13 complaints of aggressive bears, 24 fatal attacks on livestock and rabbits, and six dog attacks. There were 320 complaints of bears getting into household garbage and 86 involving bird feeders. Fifteen bears had to be removed from urban areas.
After a 35-year ban on hunting in 2003, two bear hunts killed 600 bears.
While bears have been spotted in every county in the state, Watson said the public education effort will focus on "bear country" -- Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic and Bergen counties.
He said it would involve public education forums and an effort to teach residents not to feed bears, bear-proof their garbage and remove bird feeders. He said campgrounds and youth camps would be pushed to install bear-proof dumpsters.
"Our desire is not to issue summonses but to go out on a public outreach campaign in bear country," Watson said. "We want to ensure they are meeting the department's expectations in managing garbage properly."
Watson said attempts would be made to condition bears to stay away from people. The efforts would include the use of rubber buckshot and the increased use of two trained yellow Black Mouth Cur dogs obtained by the DEP two years ago to chase or tree bears and make them connect the harassment with intruding into a yard. He said the dogs do not attack bears.
Watson said the plan also includes the hiring of six additional personnel, including wildlife biologists to help in bear research, additional wildlife technicians to remove nuisance bears and conservation officers to help with enforcement. He said another two to four DEP staffers would be reassigned to help with the program.
"The governor and commissioner want to make sure we place every effort in determining once and for all if non-lethal bear control can be effective in the state of New Jersey," Watson said.
The New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, Safari Club International, Safari Club International Foundation and the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation sued the state after Corzine and DEP Commissioner Jackson canceled the bear hunt, but the New Jersey Supreme Court declined to grant an emergency review of their challenge.
The case is scheduled for an appeals court review in March.
Staff Writer Brian Murray contributed to this report.
© 2007 The Star Ledger
© 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
$850,000 program to train man and beast
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
BY TOM HESTER
Star-Ledger Staff
After shooting down a proposed bear hunt in December, Gov. Jon Corzine has budgeted $850,000 for an education program to keep the public and more than 3,000 black bears away from each other.
Budget details released yesterday showed Corzine's proposed 2007-08 budget includes $850,000 for a program for "nonlethal" management of New Jersey's 3,000 black bears.
Corzine and DEP Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson made bolstering the public education program and conditioning bears to avoid people a priority when they withstood pressure from hunters last fall to approve a bear hunt in northern New Jersey.
"We are certainly gearing up. The governor and commissioner are committed to finding a non-lethal strategy to deal with black bears," said DEP Deputy Commissioner for Natural Resources John S. Watson. "We are gearing up for important programs that would utilize that funding very efficiently."
Last year, there were 901 complaints of bears, down by 111 from 2005, but the figures included 44 home entries, 19 more attempts, one attack on a human -- the sixth in five years -- 13 complaints of aggressive bears, 24 fatal attacks on livestock and rabbits, and six dog attacks. There were 320 complaints of bears getting into household garbage and 86 involving bird feeders. Fifteen bears had to be removed from urban areas.
After a 35-year ban on hunting in 2003, two bear hunts killed 600 bears.
While bears have been spotted in every county in the state, Watson said the public education effort will focus on "bear country" -- Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic and Bergen counties.
He said it would involve public education forums and an effort to teach residents not to feed bears, bear-proof their garbage and remove bird feeders. He said campgrounds and youth camps would be pushed to install bear-proof dumpsters.
"Our desire is not to issue summonses but to go out on a public outreach campaign in bear country," Watson said. "We want to ensure they are meeting the department's expectations in managing garbage properly."
Watson said attempts would be made to condition bears to stay away from people. The efforts would include the use of rubber buckshot and the increased use of two trained yellow Black Mouth Cur dogs obtained by the DEP two years ago to chase or tree bears and make them connect the harassment with intruding into a yard. He said the dogs do not attack bears.
Watson said the plan also includes the hiring of six additional personnel, including wildlife biologists to help in bear research, additional wildlife technicians to remove nuisance bears and conservation officers to help with enforcement. He said another two to four DEP staffers would be reassigned to help with the program.
"The governor and commissioner want to make sure we place every effort in determining once and for all if non-lethal bear control can be effective in the state of New Jersey," Watson said.
The New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, Safari Club International, Safari Club International Foundation and the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation sued the state after Corzine and DEP Commissioner Jackson canceled the bear hunt, but the New Jersey Supreme Court declined to grant an emergency review of their challenge.
The case is scheduled for an appeals court review in March.
Staff Writer Brian Murray contributed to this report.
© 2007 The Star Ledger
© 2007 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
