April 16th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

In portions of Maryland, black bears are awake and exploring the areas around them, searching for food. Homeowners who leave food sources out in the open – like birdseed, dog food, even trash – may unintentionally draw bears to residential areas. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources encourages residents who live near bear habitats to remove backyard bird feeders from April through November, lock garbage in a bear-proof trash bin or store trash in a garage or shed, store pet food inside and keep cooking grills clean of food residue.