is #1 on the list of what attracts bears to homes and communities.
It’s garbage to us. It’s dinner for days for bears. Trash attracts bears because it’s a smelly, highly concentrated and dependable source of easy, high-calorie meals.
Bears are very practical: venturing around people places is risky; if it produces no reward, bears will put their energy into foraging in the wild. Preventing bears from getting their paws on your trash helps keep people and businesses in bear country safe and bears wild.
Bears are very smart and will work hard for the food that’s in our trash. Ordinary cans with simple lids, flimsy sheds and typical fences won’t keep bears out. But people are smarter than bears. Download our new bulletin and learn about storage solutions that work, from bear-resistant containers and bear-proof trash enclosures to electric fencing.
Tips for Homes & Businesses
Homeowner tips include close, latch and be careful where you stash your trash. Hint: open truck beds and screened-in porches are not safe places in bear country. Something as simple as putting your trash out in the morning instead of the night before makes a big difference.
Businesses in bear country have a big job. Besides providing ways to deal with the trash that don't attract bears they must educate employees, residents, renters and visitors about why securely stashing the trash every time, every day is so important. BearWise provides practical tips and many free resources that can help.