Bears are pushing farther south in Michigan. We have to learn to coexist, says DNR

Living near black bears is part of life in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where about 10,000 of the bears reside. But about 2,000 black bears now live in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula as well, and they are expanding their range to the south and west, into places like Traverse City, Grand Rapids and Midland, DNR wildlife managers said.
Learning to coexist with black bears keys upon not letting them get too comfortable near humans, and that starts with not presenting them with abundant, desired food sources. A bear will likely keep moving if there’s nothing tasty to eat, whether that’s bird seed, unsecured garbage or a food-splattered grill, DNR wildlife biologists said.
DNR officials said they have received about 285 bear complaints per year over the past 20 years, with 303 complaints in 2024. Counties with the most bear complaints in 2024 included Upper Peninsula counties Marquette (41 complaints), Houghton (29), Chippewa (25) and Delta (24); but also northern Lower Peninsula counties Otsego (26), Charlevoix (19), Leelanau (16) and Grand Traverse (13).