More Than 12,000 Black Bears Are Waking Up in One State and Heading Straight for the Nearby Neighborhoods

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Quick shot

• Currently, more than 12,000 black bears are entering residential areas in Michigan.

• Bears have long-term memories of finding food, which can attract repeated visits from predators.

• If humans don’t take precautions such as securing trash and fencing, they may inadvertently attract bears to their homes.

As we emerge from the comfort of our winter dens, excited for the warm spring weather, the bears wake up from hibernation. This means conflicts between humans and bears may soon increase.

North American black bear (american bear) can be found from northern Canada to the western and eastern United States and northern Mexico. When bears begin to wake up, they may wander into nearby towns, so it’s important to be prepared for such encounters.

12,000 black bears are emerging from hibernation

Many states have issued spring warnings to protect and educate their communities. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) estimates that 12,450 black bears will emerge from their dens this spring, many with new cubs.

“Michigan is bear country,” Jared Duquette, human-wildlife interaction specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said in a release. “As bears emerge from their winter dens, it’s important to remember that we can live responsibly with these great animals and avoid conflicts by following some basic best practices.”

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is also warning its citizens to be on the lookout for bears emerging from hibernation this spring.

“This is the time of year when people start calling us about their wildlife encounters; the weather is nice, so people and wildlife are out and about,” Extension biologist Farrin Owens said in a release.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife issued a press release in February 2026 stating that it received 5,299 reports of black bear sightings and conflicts with bears in 2025, a 15% increase from the previous six years. More than 57 percent of those were related to trash, which attracted bears.

accidentally attracted a bear

According to BearWise, black bears will leave their dens to stretch their legs and wander around, often feeling hungry, thirsty and lethargic. They may return to their nests to continue hibernating, or they may decide to stay awake throughout the season. Either way, you don’t want to get in the way of them as they search for food after a long winter.

You may not want to attract bears to your home, but there are many things humans do unintentionally that may attract them to our communities.

For example, because bears have excellent senses of smell and memory, they can smell food from a mile away and remember it. Where For years, they’ve been foraging for food—from bird feeders to backyard grills—returning again and again for more. Even if there is no more food outside, bears that associate their community with food are more likely to keep returning, and may even break into houses in search of more food.

If you live in an area with a large bear population, there are some precautions you can take to protect yourself (and the bears living nearby) from harm.

“Remove bird feeders, especially in the spring and summer, clean grills after use, don’t leave pet food out, and wait until collection day to throw trash out,” Duquette warned in the release. You can also deter bears by using bear-proof trash cans.

BearWise also recommends deep cleaning your vehicle to ensure you don’t leave behind any trash or food that bears might smell; protecting your chickens and small livestock; setting up electric fences or netting around beehives; and storing pet food in bear-proof containers.

fierce mother bear

Bears with new cubs may be more protective than usual (the “mama bear” stereotype exists for a reason!). Do not approach, feed or touch bear cubs as a mother may react aggressively if she senses her cubs are in danger.
Mother bears may risk their lives by rushing toward humans to protect their cubs, engaging in fierce battles. If they sense their young are being threatened, they will not hesitate to attack. If you encounter a bear cub, the best thing to do is to leave the area as quickly and quietly as possible.

It is also recommended to carry bear spray. If you do encounter a bear, don’t look it in the eye and back away slowly so as not to appear threatening. You can also report bear sightings to your local wildlife department.

The post More than 12,000 black bears wake up in one state and make a beeline for nearby communities appeared first on AZ Animals.