Anchorage hillside residents have reported several incidents of brown bears killing unsecured chickens and smashing their coops since May, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Reports are scattered across the city’s Hillside neighborhoods, near De Armoun, Huffman and O’Malley Roads.
The Hillside culprits are a bear family consisting of a sow and two yearlings, according to the department’s Anchorage Area Biologist Cory Stantorf.
“They have found easy food sources, chicken coops to be one of those,” Stantorf said Thursday morning. “Bears are going to go for the path of least resistance to get as much calories, without having to expend a lot of calories in return.”
Over the last few weeks, several affected homeowners have shared their experiences in the Facebook group “Anchorage Bear Tracker.” One person posted a photo of a mangled coop with its fence ripped open, and in a comment said they’re taking a break from raising chickens. Another shared a video of the sow playing in grass and similarly said the trio tore down a shed door and killed their chickens.
In 2019, state biologists killed a brown bear in a nearby Hillside neighborhood after reports of similar behavior. Stantorf said the department handles wildlife conflicts on a case-by-case basis. With brown bears, he said officials look for signs of aggressive behavior towards humans and buildings, which hasn’t been reported yet.
Anchorage is bear country, and Stantorf said the Hillside has plenty of bear-friendly habitat, and forage.
Poultry can attract bears, along with trash and birdseed. He said there are ways to protect your flock, and property. One of the most effective is an electric fence, which Stantorf said has prevented the bears from breaking into some coops.
“Make sure it’s working, it's got to be maintained, and really make sure that it's also turned on right, so that it's working and it can do its job. When they're set up correctly, they do a fantastic job at stopping bears from getting into chicken coops,” he said.
ADF&G is asking residents who see a brown bear to call it in at 907-267-2179, or report it online. Overall, Stantorf said it’s been a relatively slow year for wildlife conflict. He said there have been various bear sightings across town, including a brown bear near Kincaid Park, and a black bear that took a brief stroll through downtown Anchorage.
If you encounter a bear, stand tall, wave your arms, and speak loudly in a low voice. If it charges, don't run, stand your ground or back away slowly and diagonally. Group together with others if possible, and always carry bear spray.
