SEQUOYAH COUNTY, Okla. — While driving along Interstate 40 in Sequoyah County, you may notice an unlikely warning: a large yellow sign with a black silhouette of an American black bear, a species experts say is growing in population in the area.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation Public Information Manager TJ Gerlach said the bear crossing signs have been installed along I-40 in the area of Webber's Falls. The eastbound sign is just outside Vian and the westbound sign is west of the Arkansas River.
The black bear population in eastern Oklahoma has been steadily rising. According to Curt Allen, a senior wildlife biologist for the state's Department of Wildlife, the bear population is "small but growing" in the area with estimations at around 150-200 across Sequoyah, Cherokee, and Adair counties combined.
Allen said the reason these bears are on the move is due to a relatively fragmented habitat, especially along the I-40 corridor (which was the catalyst for the crossing signs).
Bears' habitats are large. They can span from a five-by-five mile area to 10-by-10 miles— and when these habitats are split apart by rivers, construction, or roads, it leads to bears doing their own version of commuting.
Allen chalks up that movement to bears searching for good, quality food and mating season ranging from late May and early June.
All of these bears are American black bears, which Allen says are typically very skittish around humans unless they become comfortable. He advises against being nice to bears by feeding or allowing them to hang around if you see them in your backyard.
"Don't intentionally attract or feed bears near your property," Allen said. "Enjoy the moment if they're in your backyard. Take a brief moment to enjoy it, but then make them feel unwelcome so that they don't start becoming habituated to that spot."
If you encounter a black bear
According to bearwise.org, a program developed by biologists to educate and inform the public about black bears, here are some tips:
in a building, by a dumpster, or around the corner
- Give the bear a clear escape route (don't corner it)
- Leave any doors open as you back away from the bear
- Do not lock the bear in a room
in your backyard
- from a safe distance, make loud noises, shout, or bang pots and pans together to scare the bear away
- When the bear leaves, take away what could've attracted the bear to your property like garbage, bird seed, or pet food
- Ask neighbors to remove similar items
- Check your yard for bears before letting out your dog
in the woods
- if you see the bear before it notices you: stand still, don't approach, then move away quietly in the opposite direction
- if the bear sees you, don't run. Running may trigger a chase response
- Back away slowly in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave
"Black bears are very neat to watch. But it's really important that we keep bears wild," Allen said.