Increase in bear encounters prompts new requirements for White Mountains visitors

"The U.S. Forest Service announced a new year-round food storage requirement for overnight visitors in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, mandating the use of bear canisters to reduce human-bear interactions."

"The Forest Service reported a sharp rise in bear incidents in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, largely due to improperly stored food, prompting the new canister requirement."

"As visitation to the wilderness area increases, bears are becoming more food-conditioned, leading to more frequent and potentially dangerous encounters with humans."

Starting May 1, overnight visitors in the Pemigewasset Wilderness are required to use bear canisters for food storage due to rising bear encounters. The U.S. Forest Service mandates that food, trash, and scented items be stored in certified canisters. Other storage methods are no longer permitted. A free canister loan program is available at various locations. The increase in bear incidents is attributed to improperly stored food and rising visitor numbers, leading to bears associating humans with food and resulting in dangerous encounters.

Read at Boston.com