The City of Newport recently learned of black bear sightings near Sam Case Elementary School. The School is located 459 NE 12th Street in Newport. The School is near heavily wooded areas including Forest Park. Lincoln County School District personnel have been alerted and are prepared to respond appropriately to keep students and staff safe. Law enforcement and fish and wildlife partners are also aware of the situation and have asked neighbors to keep their garbage inside.
Bears should never be allowed access to human food or garbage; it habituates them to people and increases the chance of conflict. Anyone finding themselves in close proximity to a black bear is advised to cautiously back away and get to safety; and then to notify the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) at 800-720-ODFW or odfw.info@odfw.oregon.gov. Oregon is home to about 25,000 to 30,000 black bears, North America’s most common bear species.
Generally black in color, they can also be brown, cinnamon, or blond. Fast and agile, they are good swimmers and climbers who prefer forests, trails and streams. At home throughout Oregon, black bears are omnivorous and have a diverse diet including berries, fruit, grasses and plants. Although they will consume small mammals, insects and amphibians, these bears are not usually active predators. Following are ODFW links about black bears: Brochure:
Oregon is Black Bear Country: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/docs/BlkBearBroch.pdf
Tips for what to do if you encounter a bear: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/docs/BBearSightingSignRev2.pdf Website: Living with Wildlife - Black Bears. https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/black_bears.asp
