Da bears
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- June
- 11
Seems it’s wandering-bear season, according to accounts from Mahopac, Connecticut, Massachusetts and beyond.
For starters, check out my colleague Susan Elan’s account of the Mahopac black bear. Then there’s the bear over in Connecticut who was peering in residents’ windows. And in Massachusetts, wildlife authorities tranquilized and relocated a bear found in city of Worcester. 
The animals are no longer creatures of large forests, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
“Once thought to inhabit only large forests, over the past two decades, black bears have been expanding their range throughout New York and can now be found in a variety of habitats including developed areas.”
Young black bears spend almost two years with mom and are pushed out to their own lives during their second spring, hence, in some cases, the wandering bruins.
“They are ususally weaned at around 6 to 8 months of age, but remain with the mother and den with her during their second winter of life, until they are about 17 months old. At this time the female is coming into estrus and forces the young out of her territory.”
The photo, courtesy of the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department, shows a bear found in Monsey earlier this month.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 11:10 am by Mike Risinit.
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Journal News staff writer Greg Clary writes Earth Watch, reporting on environmental issues in the lower Hudson region. Clary has been a reporter, editor and columnist at the Journal News since 1988 and has covered police and courts, transportation, municipal government, development and the environment in the Lower Hudson Valley, among other topics. 
Laura Incalcaterra covers the environment, open space and zoning and planning issues for The Journal News. A Boston College graduate, Laura grew up in Rockland, attended East Ramapo schools and has worked for The Journal News since 1993. Laura has written features and covered North Rockland, crime, government and a host of other issues.
Mike Risinit covers Patterson and Kent in Putnam County, as well as environmental topics touching on the Hudson River and the Great Swamp. Risinit has been a reporter at The Journal News since 1998.
