So reports the Associated Press. Why? Changing agricultural patterns
Farmers shifting from inedible crops like tobacco and cotton to edible items like corn and soybeans give the bears plenty to eat so they no longer have to expend so much energy and lose weight hibernating, state Wildlife Resources Commission black bear biologist Colleen Olfenbuttel said.
“The amount of agriculture has influenced hibernation. The reason for 700-plus bears is reflecting the abundance of food available now versus what we saw 20 years ago,” Olfenbuttel said.
