Silver City, NM — The Gila National Forest has received a few reports of bears in the area of Piños Altos. Communities in the wildland urban interface are sharing space with a variety of wildlife; including snakes, bears, mountain lions, deer, elk, and many more species.
Reminder: New Mexico is in a state of severe to extreme drought and that affects the wildlife as well. Prey animals, such as deer and elk, are moving to lower levels searching for forage and water, and this brings large predators down to lower levels looking for food and water as well. Your safety, and the welfare of the wildlife population, are important to the Gila National Forest and to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF)
Quick reminders for homeowners:
- Do not feed your pets outside
- Avoid leaving large amounts of standing water outside.
- All trash should either be in an enclosed area or in a bear-proof container.
NMDGF has several publications, which are available on on-line and at the Gila NF's ranger stations, on "Living with Large Predators in New Mexico" and "Keeping Bears Alive and Yourself Safe."
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/download/publications/wildlife/Living-with-Large-Predators-in-New-Mexico-2016.pdf
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/download/publications/wildlife/Keeping-Bears-Alive-and-You-Safe.pdf
For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila