COLUMBIA, MO. -- The Missouri black bear is alive and well according to the Missouri Department of Conservation's latest numbers.
Researchers have started trapping Missouri black bears and putting a radio collar on them.
The collars will be used to learn more about the bears population, their size, dens and reproduction.
The first phase focuses on southwest Missouri.
“I have been real impressed with the bears health,” Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer said. “The bears we've been catching are big, their coats are shiny, they are fat and they are just healthy.They have a lot to eat and in some cases they can't fit in some of our barrel traps and to me it shows the quality of the habitat we have out there."
In its early phases, the study has been promising, so far eleven bears are being monitored.
The department has enough funding to put collars on 13 bears.
The second phase of the study will begin next fall and will focus on southeastern Missouri.
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