Bear Necessities

Photo: PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

My autumn “Wild Wonders” column in Tideland magazine honors black bears and how we can keep them and ourselves safe when they visit our human communities.

Two summers ago, I was driving on Bainbridge Island when I braked for a dark blur running across the road. My initial concern about a stray dog morphed to excitement as I watched a black bear peer back at me from the leafy shoulder and then disappear into the forest.

Photo: PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center