MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages the public to report any black bear den locations across the state to help with an ongoing study on black bear reproduction.

The Black Bear Litter and Diet Survey will generate new estimates of black bear reproductive rates within each of the state’s bear management zones. These estimates will improve the accuracy of the population models used in each zone.

Additionally, researchers are investigating a connection between consumption of human food sources and bear reproduction, since diet can affect cub survival rates and litter sizes.

The study will be entering its fifth year of surveying occupied dens in the Wisconsin bear range. The research team will accept a den report anywhere in the state. Ho

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