CLAYTON COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is placing bear-resistant trash cans at state parks as more black bears are expected to visit Iowa from neighboring states.
The black bear is native to Iowa but was hunted to extinction in the mid-1800s. Nearly 200 years later, the tide is turning as black bear populations in Wisconsin and Minnesota expand southward.
“We’re talking about two to five bears annually coming into our state,” said Vince Evelsizer, an Iowa DNR furbearer biologist. “We haven’t confirmed cubs in our state yet, but we anticipate that could happen in the near future, but time will tell.”
Ahead of the anticipated visitors, the DNR installed two bear-resistant trash cans at Pikes Peak State Park to help prevent conflicts between bears and park visitors.
The metal casing secures garbage and makes it difficult for bears to access food sources.
“Really the point of that is to start to get people, park users, more used to thinking about how to live with bears and reduce conflicts,” Evelsizer said. “That’s just better for the bear and that’s better for us people and our pets.”
Andy Roach, manager of Pikes Peak State Park, said the additions aim to raise awareness about Iowa’s newest visitors.
“There might be an ever-increasing opportunity where somebody might be on a trail at a state park, a county park, or anywhere else in the state, and just have that possible encounter of a bear,” Roach said.
Park visitors said the approach raises awareness about bear safety.
“I do. I mean, I read it right away,” Sue McGinn said.
“I think people would be more aware like to don’t be leaving your trash like on picnic tables,” added Brian McGinn.
Securing garbage is a key step to coexisting with Iowa’s newest visitors.
“In this case, it’s about proper disposal of trash so that the bears don’t raid garbage bins and pull it out and leave it laying all over the place,” said Evelsizer.
He noted a good resource on bear safety is bearwise.org.
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