‘The worst possible catch-22’: Fish and Wildlife struggles to combat bear rumors

Vermont's Fish and Wildlife Department faces public misperceptions that deter reporting minor bear activity, fearing bears will be killed, leading to escalated conflicts. The state's 7,000 black bears, with strong senses and memory, increasingly access human food sources, causing record bear-human incidents. Officials emphasize that most interactions result in coexistence advice, not euthanasia, though 35 bears are killed annually for safety.