В трех округах Массачусетса резко выросло число черных медведей

Black Bears are Booming in These 3 Massachusetts Counties While Massachusetts is home to many beloved attractions and historical culture, the Bay State is also home to a fairly sizeable black bear population. Black Bear Population Continues to Increase Gallery Credit: Jesse Stewart, Townsquare Media The black bear population has been growing since the 1970s. As a matter of fact, the statewide population of black bears in Massachusetts is over 4,500. There are three counties in particular that share the largest black bear population. According to Mass.gov, those counties are Worcester County, northern Middlesex County, and Berkshire County. READ MORE: 3 Bears Take a Dip in a Hot Tub at Family Cabin (VIDEO) This doesn't come as a surprise to me. I live in the Berkshires, and over the years I have encountered many bear sightings, from four (4) bears all at once roaming around in my backyard to bears crossing the road on my way to and from work. Plus, there have been a few times I have seen bears crossing through my neighbors' yards. How You Can Keep Bears Off Your Property Most of the time, the bears are just looking for food and aren't out to harm anybody, but if you don't want a pest on your hands, it's a good idea to seal up your trash cans (I learned this hard way), remove bird feeders from your yard, and clean up any food spills on your property, including decks, patios, etc. If food or food remnants linger on your property, you may end up dealing with uninvited guests. Reminder: Keep Your Pets Safe and More Tips In addition to removing food from your property, it's also recommended that you limit how long your pets are outside and never leave them outdoors unsupervised, especially during the most active season for bears, which is April through November. If you see a bear, keep your distance, stay calm, and let the animal move on. You can get more tips by going here. LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state Gallery Credit: Elena Kadvany RANKED: Here Are the 63 Smartest Dog Breeds Gallery Credit: Sabienna Bowman