There is currently a study going on in the Green Mountain National Forest investigating the impact of wind turbines on black bear use of important foraging sites. These sites draw bears from 20-to-30 miles away when the beechnuts appear. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is concerned that the turbines might be disturbing the bears' ability to get to their feeding habitats.
In this month's episode of Outdoor Radio, Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra are joined by a team of biologists from Vermont Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service. Together they are looking for one male bear, nicknamed Stark, so that they can replace the gsp/radio collar that is currently tracking his moments and behavior.
Find out how much weight Stark the bear has gained or lost and where his journeys took him this year as he foraged for food. Discover the risks that bears will take in order to prepare for a long winter's hibernation. A great deal of human effort is spent keeping the bear population safe and thriving in our Vermont forests.
Read more about the Green Mountain National Forest Bear Study at these sites:
- Living with Vermont Black Bears
- Green Mountain National Forest Bear Study FAQs
- Discover more about black bears on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website.
- Read the black bear management plan for Vermont.
Outdoor Radio is produced in collaboration with the Vermont Center For Ecostudies.
