Georgia is home to about 1,800 black bears that generally live in the north Georgia mountains, along the Ocmulgee River drainage system and in the Okefenokee Swamp. But sometimes they wander outside these areas.

Fortunately, most black bears are not a problem and are a spectacular example of North American wildlife, but conflicts can be caused when they end up in populated areas in search of food, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

“Black bears are shy, secretive and intelligent animals that generally work hard at avoiding human contact,” says WRD Assistant Chief of Game Management Dan Forster. “Unfortunately, they sometimes learn to associate people with food and this is when their presence can cause problems.”

Bears range over large areas in search of food and are opportunistic by nature. Their natural diet consists of whatever is readily available at that time of year.

Normally, bears are active from dusk till dawn. However, if a bear finds a connection between humans and food they may become more active during daylight hours and disregard some of their fear of humans.

“A bear's natural food supply is lowest in the spring and in the late summer,” says Forster. “At these times, items like garbage, pet food, charcoal grills, bird seed, fish food, domestic bee hives and corn may attract a hungry bear.”

Seeing a bear in the yard or in the wild is not necessarily a cause for alarm, but people should use caution. Always keep in mind that bears are wild animals, however tame they may look, and they may react unpredictably.

Never approach a bear. If a bear gives off warning signs, such as snapping jaws, slapping the ground or bluff charging it is a sign that the bear is feeling threatened and anyone near the bear should back away slowly and leave the area. Do not attempt to run away; this may cause the bear to give chase.

Since most bear problems are associated with their search for food, the best way to avoid contact is to prevent them from finding or smelling food near humans. When camping or hiking in a part of the state that is home to bears, keep food, coolers and backpacks in a well-secured area.

Make sure to remove all cooking scraps and other garbage. If a grill is used, clean off the food residue and store the grill out of reach.

People living in areas where black bears can be found always should remain aware of their surroundings and never feed bears. Steps to minimize or eliminate food attractants should be taken in order to avoid conflicts. Some examples include securing garbage in bear-proof containers, keeping pet food indoors and using electric fences around gardens, beehives or compost piles.

For more information on black bears, call the closest WRD Game Management Office or 770-918-6416.