With the chill of winter breathing down the state's neck, bear encounters in western, southwestern, and northeastern regions have prompted a warning from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). These furry foragers are on a pre-hibernation binge, and they're not finicky about feasting on our leftovers, as per a recent report by KXAN.
Texas's native black bears are sniffing out their last big meals before they den up for the winter snooze. But their foraging can lead to dangerous familiarity with humans if they start to easily find their grub in the form of garbage, pet food, or deer feeder corn, as per Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Bear in mind that these creatures are not just an icon of the wild but also protected under Texas law. Harassing or hunting them isn't just frowned upon; it's illegal with hefty penalties, including up to $10,000 fines, possible jail time, civil restitution fines, and the loss of all hunting privileges, according to KXAN.
