A bear roaming the South Shore reportedly killed a goat behind a home on Tuesday, as state wildlife officials gave out tips to protect livestock from black bears.
The bear — which has been spotted several times in the region during the last few months — was seen about 60 yards behind a Hanson residence Tuesday morning. After the bear left the area, a Massachusetts Environmental Police officer found a dead goat in the woods behind the home.
While bear attacks on chickens is “happening constantly now” in the Bay State, these bear attacks on larger animals like goats are “far less common,” according to black bear expert Dave Wattles.
“Every single bear in the state has been trained to go into backyards due to bird feeders, so it’s important that residents don’t have any accessible food sources on their property to draw bears in, so no bird feeders,” Wattles, a black bear and furbearer biologist with MassWildlife, told the Herald on Tuesday.
“Bird feeders are contributing to these issues because they’re attracting bears to homes,” he added.
Wattles urges backyard chicken owners to use electric fencing to keep bears away from their chicken coops, and he said livestock owners can also use electric fencing to help keep bears out.
The dead goat was turned over to the Hanson Animal Control officer, and the resident received information on how to protect livestock from black bears.
“Unfortunately a resident reported to us today that our local bear and their livestock had a negative interaction,” the Hanson Police Department posted on social media.
“If you have small domestic animals please take steps to protect them and discourage the bear from trying to make them his/her next meal,” Hanson Police added.
Here are some other tips from MassWildlife, on how to protect livestock from black bears:
- Livestock feed attracts bears. Store feed in secure outbuildings protected by electric fencing or in a bear-proof container. Avoid feeding livestock in a confined pen which a bear may enter.
- Avoid pasturing animals in remote areas, areas with nearby heavy wooded cover, or areas with wooded gullies or other pathways which bears may use.
- Do not leave carcasses of dead animals exposed in fields. You should bury or incinerate them.
- Do not place supplemental foods nearby as a distraction. This can attract or habituate bears and is counterproductive.
- Consider the use of guard animals.
