Inhabitants of Affton, Missouri, find themselves vigilant after several reports of a black bear and her cubs loitering week. The Department of Conservation in Missouri, known as the MDC, is recommending precautions to abstain from inviting these bears onto their properties.

Reports and Societal Alarm

Early Tuesday morning sparked the initial reports of bear sightings, continuing into Wednesday. Dan Zarlenga, the Metro Media Specialist for the MDC in the St. Louis region acknowledged numerous calls and messages reporting the reclusive visitors. Despite this circumstantial lack of photographic evidence, word flooded local Facebook groups and MDC officers’ radios.

The voice of Affton resident Darlene Schiele rings out on social media after she saw the bears exploring her backyard bright and early on Wednesday. Schiele noted this uncharted territory for her accustomed wildlife surroundings.

Guidelines from MDC for Safety

With these sightings comes a torrent of safety guidelines from the officials at MDC with safety and human habituation prevention at the forefront – an uncommon refrain echoed by Zarlenga. He outlined:

• The feeding of bears is strongly discouraged, be it intentional or otherwise.
• Make certain your food sources, such as pet food, trash cans, bird feeders, and grills, are secure.
• Trash cans should be kept clean, locked up, and stored within your house when able.
• The use of bird feeders is discouraged from April through November in areas where bears are known to frequent.
• Electric fencing around beehives, chicken coops, and personal vegetable gardens is advised.

Key precautions are vital as bears that get used to human provisions can turn into threats and endanger people’s safety. As Nate Bowersock, the Statewide Furbearer Biologist for MDC confirms, “A bear that eats, faces its defeat.” What he means is that these majestic creatures take a dangerous turn once they realize food is within easy reach in human settlements. They may begin to have a liking for these regions, escalating the possibility of perilous face-offs. Regrettably, this often leads conservation agents with the grim task of putting down these bears.

Behavioral Trends in Bears

Bowersock also offered his knowledge on the timing of these bear sightings, connecting their increased activity with their pre-hibernation preparatory period. Their more active state results in an uptick in bear-human encounters, particularly near their natural habitats.

Actions to Take When Confronting a Bear

MDC provides guidelines for safe interactions if you should stumble across a bear. Zarlenga’s key advice was to keep your cool and avoid any threatening behavior. Follow these steps:

• Stay put and don’t play dead. Raise and swing your arms calmly to identify yourself as human not harmful prey.
• Dashing and sudden movements trigger the chase instincts in a bear and should be avoided.
• If the bear isn’t budging, move slowly and sideways keeping an eye on it and watch your step.
• Climbing trees is a no go – black bears and grizzlies can climb too!
• Ensure the bear has an exit route at all times.

According to Bowersock, if we can keep our heads and give the bears their space, most bear encounters end without incident. To quote Yogi Bear, “Smarter than the average bear,” could easily apply to real bears too!

Reaction from the Residents and Future Endeavors

Seeing a bear roaming your streets has understandably stirred up concern among residents in Affton. Those with younger families or pets are particularly anxious about the outdoor playtimes in their backyard. Meanwhile, others have taken immediate measures to fortify their homes against uninvited guests.

The MDC is keeping tabs on the situation and actively encouraging any new reports of sightings to be made online. Although these sightings are somewhat of a rarity in suburban areas like Affton, they serve as vital reminders of cohabitation with wildlife.

Adapting to these newfound neighbors in Affton, conservationists are imploring locals to stay alert and rigorously follow the safety guidelines issued. By doing this, they can help maintain their safety whilst supporting the resident bears’ existence. Bowersock once more signals warning by underlining humans’ relaxed attitudes towards these peaceful yet forceful creatures could lead them down regrettable paths, creating a precarious balance between human safety and wildlife preservation.