Vermont black bear population exceeds state goal for fifth straight year
By Charlotte Hancox
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SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WPTZ) — Vermont’s black bear population has remained above state management goals for the fifth straight year, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.
Officials said the state’s black bear population continues to grow, with an estimated 7,500 to 8,900 bears living in Vermont. That is well above the department’s management goal of 3,500 to 5,500 bears.
Wildlife officials said the increase reflects decades of population growth and the species’ expansion across nearly all of the state.
“We’ve seen the population steadily grow over the past few decades. We are at a point now where bears have pretty much recolonized all of Vermont outside of the Islands and Lake Champlain. And we are now living with this very healthy and robust bear population,” said Jaclyn Comeau, black bear project leader for Vermont Fish & Wildlife.
As bear numbers rise, officials said they are also seeing more reports of human-bear conflicts. Common complaints include bears getting into trash, raiding backyard chicken coops and seeking other easily accessible food sources around homes.
For some Vermonters, those encounters have become a regular occurrence.
“I have to get up pretty early for work and every so often, probably two or three nights a week, I’ll see my dumpster tipped over and garbage scattered everywhere from a bear,” said Ben Stapleton, a Williston resident.
Stapleton said the presence of bears often surprises people, but he believes the animals are drawn to the food sources available in populated areas.
“I think there’s a lot, there’s more than people expect just because there’s a lot of food here. There might be a lot of people, but they’ll go where the food is,” said Stapleton.
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is encouraging residents to take steps to prevent conflicts by securing garbage, removing bird feeders and following bear-safe composting practices.
“Dealing with kind of the growing pains of dealing with how to share the landscape with an animal that is very food motivated, has a very diverse and flexible diet, and can be very destructive to get those foods at times,” said Comeau.
Officials are also asking Vermonters to report serious human-bear conflicts to the department.
The department is now seeking public input on proposed changes that could help reduce the bear population, including extending Vermont’s bear hunting season. Public comment on those proposals is open through August 27.
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