35°
An alert was issued in Hampden County by the Chicopee Police Department on Wednesday, May 19 regarding three bears that were spotted in Preston Park and in the Fairview area making the rounds as the weather heats up.
Anyone in the area has been instructed to remove any food sources, including bird feeders, and to ensure that trash is secured so as to reduce the enticement for the bears to wander onto residents’ properties.
Police noted that bear sightings do not need to be reported, as one is actively being tracked by officials.
“If in fact our (Chicopee) bears pay you a visit, please do not approach them,” the department posted online. “They will leave on their own. The safety of our residents and the bears are our main focus. You do not need to alert the dispatch of their location, one has a tracker.”
According to the Mass Audobon, the only bear species that makes its home in Massachusetts is the black bear, which can reach weights of up to 500 pounds.
“Black bears are omnivorous and consume a large variety of foods, changing their diet with the seasons. They eat berries, nuts, flowers, fruits, and succulent grasses (including corn) as well as insects, frogs, snakes, fish, and garbage. Bears also raid beehives for honey and bee larvae when available,” officials noted.
“As members of the Order Carnivora, black bears will eat small mammals, birds (usually the offspring of ground-nesting birds), and animal carcasses, including white-tailed deer, when the opportunity presents itself.
“They are attracted to neighborhoods in central and western Massachusetts by trash, bird feeders, and pet food left outdoors.”
Click here to follow Daily Voice The Berkshires and receive free news updates.
