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Young black bears throughout Michigan state have begun to move southward. This has puzzled scientists for some time, since most Michigan black bears tend to live in the northern part of the state. Recently researchers have begun attaching GPS tracking collars to bears in order to find out why some bears move away from their northern homes.

Scientists have discovered that younger bears are heading south due to a lack of space. As one researchers recently told M Live (a Michigan news station), bears have been living “…in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula for about fifteen years.”

Simply put, the “…available bear habitat…” in that portion of the state is used up. This is forcing younger bears to seek shelter elsewhere.

The GPS trackers that researchers have placed on nine Michigan black bears will be retrieved one year from now. Researchers are hoping to gain more insight into how bears live, and why some bears are forced to move while others stay in one spot. Presently, black bears have been spotted near the Michigan state line, which is further than any bear might have traveled one year ago.

Presumably, another problem that bears face is human growth. As more and more buildings are developed, bears lose a large portion of their natural habitat. Thus, the northern part of Michigan that was once large enough for all black bears has now become significantly smaller. As animals and humans learn to live together, scientists expect a number of species to make homes in strange places.

Are we pushing animals away from their homes? Let us know what your thoughts are.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis