DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – An expert with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources believes black bears could call Iowa home within the next five years. DNR furbearer biologist Vince Evelsizer notes black bears are native to Iowa, but were hunted to extinction in the state in the mid-1800s. The bears are moving southward from Wisconsin and Minnesota, close to northeastern Iowa.
The southward expansion is fueled by the Mississippi River, which Evelsizer says offers a stable habitat for bears. The DNR confirms at least three sightings of black bears in Dubuque County this year with a few unconfirmed reports of the animals this month.
Iowa State Professor Dr. Mike Rentz, an expert in sustainability and wildlife, says some of the bears will travel long distances to a source of food that they somehow know about at a particular time of the year. He said if black bears do move here permanently, Iowans should take a few precautions, that include not leaving the garbage out., making bird feeders higher, and not leaving dog food outside. Rentz said also, if you see a bear, enjoy the sighting, but use common sense and give it space. Don’t try to get too close…