Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Tracking a Black Bear

Imagine walking more than 100 miles in this heat. That's what a black bear has been doing in South Mississippi.

The bear was spotted at a home in Pass Christian Tuesday morning. Wildlife officials tell WLOX News they've tracked the bear all the way to the coast from Jones County.

Brad Young with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife said the animal was trapped and fitted with a tracking device early last month. He started his journey near Highway 98 in Jones County, passed by Camp Shelby, then moved on to Poplarville and Saucier. He was then spotted near Interstate 10 in the Pass.

Young said the bear is looking around a free meal.

"We don't want the bear hanging around residential areas. So we're encouraging people to take care, to not leave food out overnight, keep pet food indoors, things that like so the bear doesn't come snooping around looking for an easy meal," Young said.

Young said 90 percent of a bear's diet consists of plant materials like berries, acorns and grass. The other 10 percent is mostly insects.

www.wlox.com

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