Idaho Fish and Game is encouraging residents and visitors of the Island Park area to secure their garbage and other attractants to make them inaccessible to bears. Reports have recently come in of bears getting into unsecured garbage in an Island Park neighborhood, serving as a reminder to the public to diligent and “Bear Aware”.
Bears are constantly seeking out easy meals and have a strong sense of smell. Carelessly or improperly stored attractants like garbage are often sought out by bears, leading to the animals associating people with food. These habituated bears are dangerous both to themselves and to people and biologists frequently have no other option but to capture and euthanize them.
In response to the increase in sightings, Idaho Fish & Game is asking Island Park residents and visitors to follow bear aware steps protecting both the neighborhood and the bears traveling through it. Read more on how to protect both you and bears below.
Idaho Fish and Game Guide To Keeping Bears Away:
Following the steps below helps protect both you and the bears:
- Remove bird feeders between April and mid-November.
- Feed pets inside.
- Get a certified bear-resistant trash can and use it properly; don’t tamper with latches, prop them open, or overfill them. If you don’t have a bear-resistant can or if there is too much trash to fit in the can, keep it in a garage until the morning of pickup.
- Do not keep coolers, refrigerators, or freezers outside.
- If a bear has already visited your place and found food, take the above steps right away. The bear will likely pay you a couple more visits, but if it finds no food, it will eventually move on.
People in Island Park and the surrounding area can report bear conflicts to the Upper Snake Regional Fish and Game Office (208) 525-7290. Additional information on how to live and recreate in bear country can be found at the IGBC website: Be Bear Aware – Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC)
