State to teach Nelson residents how to avoid black bears

Black bears have become a more visible nuisance across Central Virginia lately, and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) wants to help residents of Nelson County deal with the annoyances the animals can cause.

To that end, DGIF officers are holding a meeting at Central Baptist Church in Lowesville Friday night to inform residents of appropriate actions to take, and not to take, when it comes to confronting bears.

Lt. Tony Fisher, with DGIF, said the 7 p.m. meeting, primarily aimed at residents of the Lowesville area, will focus on how residents can avoid attracting the animals.

“A lot of people in Virginia have never seen a black bear in the wild,” Fisher said. “We’re going to talk about some of the issues involving black bear and some of the biology and management issues associated with black bear.”

Capt. Ron Henry and wildlife biologist Dan Lovelace, both with DGIF, will be the main speakers at the meeting.

Fisher said the meeting will have a particular focus on bears’ feeding habits, and what the presence of humans does to change them.

“If a bear starts getting used to human food,” Fisher said, “then they start hanging around those areas where they’re more likely to have contact with people.”

He said speakers would go over aspects of establishing a “wildlife crime watch area,” along with trying to break stereotypes about bears in general.

“There’s just a lot of misunderstanding about black bear,” he said.

Fisher said the main thrust of the meeting will be how to avoid confrontations with the animals.

“If you see a black bear, leave it alone, it’s going to go its own way.”