Staff Report
Picnickers and outdoor enthusiasts may have noticed several closures in the Cibola National Forest over the Labor Day weekend.
Cienega, Sulphur and Doc Long picnic areas were closed and will remain closed for the next two weeks because of a rise in black bear activity in the area, said Karen Takai, spokeswoman for the Sandia Ranger District.
"Many of the black bears frequenting and living in and around the Sandia and Mountainair Ranger Districts are habituated to human food and are a nuisance and safety concern," she said in a news release. "Habituated bears alter their natural food-gathering activities, searching for easily available food left unattended by campers, picnickers and other forest users."
Visitors are asked to store food and garbage both day and night to decrease the likelihood of encountering a bear.
The rangers suggested campers store food in coolers and that they put the coolers inside vehicles when not in use.
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The park provides bear-resistant trash cans for visitors to use and asks visitors to take their garbage with them if trash cans are full or unavailable.
Takai said the parks have had to euthanize bears in the past, and she asked that visitors be careful with food and garbage to make sure the bears don't have to be relocated or euthanized.
Should campers encounter a bear while spending time in the great outdoors, Cibola National Forest recommends they do not panic, run or make sudden movements. Otherwise, the bear will instinctively charge.
For more info on bear encounters, visit bebearawaresw.org
