MDC reminder: Don’t feed bears
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – As summer turns to fall, Missouri's estimated 350 native black bears enter a phase called hyperphagiain which they eat heavily, accumulating a layer of fat that results in a 30 percent weight gain preparing them for hibernation. In preparation for hibernation, bears eat a wide variety of food including grasses and forbs, berries, ants, bees and wasps, beetles, crickets, fish, frogs, small rodents and other small animals. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds people to "Be Bear Aware" by not feeding bears and providing potential sources of food.