fast food becoming a bear necessity

It seems that black bears are prone to the diet and exercise problems of our modern-day, fast-food existence. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Zoology, black bears living in and around urban areas are up to a third less active and weigh up to 30 percent more than bears living in more wild areas. Biologists from the Wildlife Conservation Society have observed that the bears aren’t actively foraging for berries or carrion as they normally would in the wilderness, but instead are dumpster-diving behind the mall or at fast-food restaurants for their meals. “Black bears in urban areas are putting on weight and doing less-strenuous activities,” stated Jon Beckmann, the lead author of the study. “They’re hitting the local dumpster for dinner, then calling it a day.” The researchers also have found that the bears have become more nocturnal than their country cousins, presumably to avoid interacting with humans, and the time they spend in their winter dens also has declined, thanks to a year-round supply of food.

This news brief appeared in the Random Data column of the Boston Globe’s Health/Science section on 12/09/2003.