City of Del Rio press release
Del Rio, TX – The Texas Game Warden has notified the City of Del Rio of sightings of another mother bear and her cub within the city limits. Here’s what the City of Del Rio recommends that you need to know and how to handle possible bears near your home:
- The bears have not shown to be a threat to the community.
- The bears are exhibiting normal behavior trying to find pecans, nuts, and acorns around town.
- These Black Bears are migrating toward Del Rio due to drought conditions in Mexico which have severely impacted the nuts, pecans and acorns, which are their primary source of food during this time of year before going into hibernation. It is this lack of food source in Mexico that has drawn the bears to our community.
- Bears need to build up their body fat before going into hibernation and the way they do this, is by consuming nuts.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Do not leave children alone outdoors and closely monitor any outdoor pets. Do not leave pet food outdoors, as this will entice the bears onto your property.
- Secure trash cans by making sure they are completely closed.
- Do NOT chase, photograph, video record or post where the bears are located.
- Allow them to eat and migrate back into the wild to hibernate.
Black Bears are a new face in our community and biologists believe we will be seeing them much more frequently. Please note that it is a Federal Offense to harm this protected species.
If you are concerned that the bears are exhibiting threatening behavior, please contact the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office at 830-774-7513. Dispatchers will then contact the Texas Game Warden. If they are not exhibiting threatening behavior, please leave them alone and let them feed and migrate out ofthe city limits.
For more information on these Black Bears, visit www.bearwise.org/bearwise-communities/.
