Last week in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Matt Bete woke up to the nudge of a black bear in his backyard.
You’ll likely know what it’s like to be woken up by a furry paw in the morning if you own any cats or dogs. Depending on whether they’re asking for cuddles or food you might roll over in frustration. How dare they interrupt your sleep?! But I bet the initial frustration would instantly melt upon realizing it’s not your cat but a bear nudging at your toe. Such is what might have gone through Bete’s mind when he looked into the brown eyes of the black bear.
Growing Bear Population
Coming in contact with a bear up close is unusual, to say the least. The majority of people have only seen bears on television or in a zoo, but the real-life ones have become more common in Massachusetts in recent years.
Greenfield Recorder writes that bear numbers have been growing steadily in Massachusetts. In the 1970s the state had around 100 bears and by the 1990s the number had risen to 1000. Now there are an estimated 5,000-6,000 bears statewide and as a result, the state was opened to bear hunting in 2015. However, hunters only take less than six per cent of the population a year, which means the number of bears is still on the rise.
Don’t Poke The Bear
The community has been trying to teach its citizens what to do when they encounter a bear. Unlike what you might think, black bears often aren’t out to attack. In fact, it’s rare for them to attack, though you must always approach with caution and it’s important for people to adjust their behaviours to avoid conflicts with bears. You know that saying, don’t poke the bear?
But what about when a bear pokes you? Well, it appears that the bear who nudged Bete was just as scared of him, as Bete might have been upon seeing the bear. The bear ran off and Bete stayed where he was while grabbing his phone to take a picture.
After the bear had fled from his porch, he sent the picture he snapped to his wife, Dawn Bete, who didn’t believe him at first. In a statement, she told MassLive that,
“He texted me a picture of the bear running through the front yard and said the bear nudged his foot while he was sleeping by the pool. Of course, I thought he was kidding! He told me to look at the Ring video. Sure enough…”
MassLive
If you enjoy reading about bears, have a look at this one who stole crisps in a late-night supermarket visit.
