MUNISING, MI— Officials with the Hiawatha National Forest are warning visitors to be aware of bears on Grand Island.
Late spring and early summer drought affected the growing season of many species of the black bear diet, including plants, roots, berries, and nuts. Scarcity leads bears to more scavenging, and human lunches are easy targets.
Officials say to minimize the possibility of a dangerous encounter with a bear, do the following:
- never intentionally feed a bear
- keep a clean camp
- keep food and toiletries in airtight containers in vehicle trunks or suspended in trees
- wash utensils shortly after eating
- don’t sleep in clothes that have cooking odors or blood on them
- store trash as you would food—do not burn or bury it
- if you store food in a vehicle or RV, keep it locked. Bears can learn how to open doors.
While there have been relatively few incidents between bears and humans on Grand Island, there is always the potential for a dangerous encounter. The goal of the Hiawatha National Forest is to minimize this potential and to manage the island so that bears and humans can cohabit the island peacefully.
