Unbearable: Family of bears is roaming Whatcom County for food. Here’s what may happen

A family of black bears has been roaming around Whatcom County, getting into people’s trash and creating a nuisance, which eventually may require that they be put down, wildlife officials said.

A mother and two cubs were first reported to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on Aug. 23 around Maple Falls, where they were getting into trash. About four days later, the bears were seen 20 miles away in the Ferndale area near Interstate 5. On Monday, Sept 4, the bears were seen between Custer and Blaine.

The bears, which have been reported around 22 times since the first sighting, may be getting used to finding food around populated areas, Becky Elder with the State Fish and Wildlife Police told The Bellingham Herald.

“Each situation is assessed individually so I can’t tell you what will occur (when the bears are caught). Once bears know about human food sources, it is very difficult to reset their mindset, and it is unfortunately really difficult to relocate these animals.”

The Blaine Police Department made a social media post Wednesday morning that the bears were sighted at the 8700 block of Blaine Road.

Officials said the health, age and weight of the bears will be considered when deciding what to do with them.

Bears are naturally cautious around humans and usually keep to their natural environment. However, this instinct can be overcome when they are rewarded with high-calories food sources, Elder said. They can smell food from a mile away and have been known to break into cars to get it.

“The animals have been moving rather large distances and have been following, in essence, any trash, garbage or human attractants they can find, including bird feeders” she said.

Three bear traps are currently in use in the Custer-Blaine area. These are live bear traps and are built like a tube with bait inside. The bears enter the tube, step on an activator and the trap closes, trapping the bear without harming it, Elder said.

Some other animals do get caught in these traps from time to time, such as raccoons and even dogs. WDFW has trail cameras set up to quickly alert them when a trap is activated, so they can be there quickly to release the animal.

“When we see bears such as this that are continually down, based off of the open buffet of trash cans and bird feeders, there is an indication that they are relying on humans for their food source,” Elder said.

Here’s what you should do

The department offers tips on how to avoid having bears pay you a visit:

▪ Remove or hide anything bears may be able to get into for food

▪ Keep garbage in a sturdy building if possible, and use tie-downs to secure trash cans

▪ Take down bird feeders until late fall, after bears have gone into hibernation

▪ Clean up fallen fruit from trees around the yard

▪ Keep pet food indoors

▪ Thoroughly clean barbecues and outdoor grills

▪ Cage and or use an electric fence to protect outdoor fowl and livestock

▪ Don’t store food in cars

The department advises that if you encounter a bear, clap your hands loudly and shoo it away. Don’t go near a mother with cubs.

If people see the bears, they can contact the Fish and Wildlife Department at 877-933-9847, text a tip to 847411 or submit an online report through the WDFW website.

Jack Belcher

The Bellingham Herald

360-715-2206

Jack Belcher covers transportation and recreation for The Bellingham Herald. He graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in digital journalism in 2020 and joined the staff in September 2022. Belcher resides in Bellingham.