Watch black bears beat the heat at N.J. pool party
What should humans do to keep bears or other wildlife from showing up in their backyard?
What should humans do to keep bears or other wildlife from showing up in their backyard?
The Basso Family of Rockaway Township, N.J., had uninvited guests throw themselves a pool party this past Tuesday.
Seeking relief from the sweltering heat, a mama black bear and five cubs jumped in the Bassos' backyard pool. They stayed for about an hour, cooling off and playing with the toys in the yard and in the above-ground pool. The summer plunge was captured on video by Mrs. Basso, who watched safely with her husband and two children from inside their house.
The black bear pool party is the latest episode in the "rewilding" of America, illustrating how suburbanites are increasingly聽having to learn to live with their non-human neighbors. Last May, a black bear was photographed in Florida resting in a backyard hammock.
海角大神's Patrik Jonsson recently wrote about the return of the once endangered Louisiana black bear, and other species making a comeback in North America:聽
The trend toward backyard encounters with wildlife has been going on for more than a decade. The concurrent rise in the deer population and suburban sprawl has meant, for example, that more mountain lions have found good hunting in California and Colorado suburban neighborhoods.
"People should learn how to lion-proof their yards," Jim Halfpenny, an expert on mountain lions told the Monitor in 2004. "If you live in predator country, you have to predator-proof your yard. If you jog, don't jog alone 鈥� and consider carrying bear spray."
He recommended clearing underbrush in a yard, so nothing can sneak up. Take the barbecue and pet food inside. Lights in the yard are a good idea. And don't let young children play in the yard by themselves, he said, particularly at twilight.
Kevin Sanders, a聽naturalist and founder of Yellowstone Outdoor Adventures, writes on his website that bears are generally shy but "opportunistic and will search for human food supplies when natural foods are not available, or when they are easy to obtain."
Beyond the obvious draw of a swimming pool on a hot summer day, Mr. Sanders suggests focusing on eliminating attractive foods and smells from your backyard: