Jane Kaufman reports in The Berkshire Eagle that spring is here, and local bears have ended their hibernation. In Massachusetts in the 1970s there were only an estimated 100 bears, while now there are an estimated 4,500. So they will inevitably come into contact with humans. To make their visits less frequent, experts urge homeowners to remove bird feeders and pet food from outside homes, and store trash indoors until the morning it is taken away. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife also recommends cleaning grills; double-bagging trash or sprinkling trash with ammonia to reduce the odor; and keeping meat scraps out of compost piles. And anyone with orchards, chickens, or bee hives should install electric fencing to deter bears. Read more about this story in The Berkshire Eagle.