bears

Consuming Human Junk Food Linked to Microbial Diversity Loss in Wild Bears

Consuming Human Junk Food Linked to Microbial Diversity Loss in Wild Bears

Wild bears grabbing salmon with their large paws as the fish slip back into the water — and occasionally catching one — is one of the most compelling scenes in nature. When it’s not the time of year for a salmon run, the bears’ diet consists of whatever they can find, including berries, roots, insects, grass and other plants. Unfortunately, wild bears can also develop a taste for human foods, including junk food. A recent study found that eating these foods can have an adverse effect on the microbiome of wild bears.

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    Trump Rollback Allows Hunters to Kill Bears and Wolves in Their Dens

    Trump Rollback Allows Hunters to Kill Bears and Wolves in Their Dens

    In another reversal of Obama-era regulations, the Trump administration is having the National Park Service rescind a 2015 order that protected bears and wolves within protected lands. The new rule, remarkable in its cruelty, will allow hunters to shoot bears, wolves, along with their cubs and pups while the animals are in their dens in […]

    Alaska Poachers Sentenced for Killing Mother Bear and ‘Shrieking’ Cubs

    Alaska Poachers Sentenced for Killing Mother Bear and ‘Shrieking’ Cubs

    Two Alaska hunters will face jail time and other penalties after fatally shooting a denning black bear sow in front of her two “shrieking” cubs, and then shooting the newborns dead. Wasilla resident Andrew Renner was sentenced to five months in jail with two months suspended, a fine of $20,000 with $11,000 suspended and the […]

    Beloved Bear That Recovered From Massive Wildfire Burns Found Shot Dead

    Beloved Bear That Recovered From Massive Wildfire Burns Found Shot Dead

    Cinder, an orphaned bear cub that was severely burned but had remarkably survived after one of the worst recorded wildfires in Washington state history was found dead, wildlife officials recently confirmed to news outlets. She was likely shot and killed in October 2017 by a hunter, according to the Methow Valley News and a Facebook […]

    New Bear on the Block: Grizzlies Spotted in Black and Polar Bear Habitats

    New Bear on the Block: Grizzlies Spotted in Black and Polar Bear Habitats

    For the first time, scientists have observed three American bear species—the black bear, polar bear and grizzly bear—using the same habitat in Canada’s Wapusk National Park. “Scientifically, it has never been documented anywhere,” Doug Clark of the University of Saskatchewan told the Canadian Press. Using remote cameras, Clark and his research team documented 401 bear-visits […]

    Rangers Free Bear Cub From Plastic Jar After Three-Day Search

    Rangers Free Bear Cub From Plastic Jar After Three-Day Search

    A Maryland bear cub got himself into a sticky situation over the weekend. The 100-pound male bear earned himself the nickname “Buckethead” when he got his head stuck in a plastic jar in search of a tasty snack, BBC News reported. Luckily, the Maryland Department of Human Resources – Wildlife & Heritage Service was able […]

    Judge Blocks First Yellowstone-Area Grizzly Hunt in 40 Years

    Judge Blocks First Yellowstone-Area Grizzly Hunt in 40 Years

    A federal judge on Thursday halted the first Yellowstone-area grizzly bear trophy hunts in four decades. Wyoming and Idaho’s grizzly hunt was set to begin this Saturday, Sept. 1 and would have allowed a potential kill of 23 bears outside of Yellowstone National Park. But U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula, Montana granted a […]