There are more black bears moving into Michigan's Lower Penisula each year, according to leading biologists. They have been watching as the bear population in Michigan has grown to approximately 10,000 in the last 20 years. About 20 per cent of them now live in the Lower, but until recent years, most of them stayed in the northern counties. Lately, however, they have been steadily moving down into the southern counties and reports are being heard from Flint to Ionia, and even in Jackson county, south of Lansing.
I live just outside of Flint. Two years ago a black bear was killed on I-75 right near the downtown area. It was close to the Flint River, and it was assumed that it had been traveling the river corridor. I can only imagine what kind of panic would have resulted if it had started invading trach cans just a couple of blocks away. ::whistling:
