The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released a draft species management plan for black bears on Thursday, and will be accepting public comments on it through February 21, 2014.
Black bears are a very popular wildlife species among the general public, but can pose significant challenges when the bears become too abundant or are acting boldly in populated areas.
DEC’s draft plan describes five primary goals that reflect the current priorities of bear managers and desires expressed by the public:
