MidHudsonNews [dot] com is reporting state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos, June 15, urged state residents to secure garbage, birdseed and pet food to reduce the potential for conflicts with bears. “We have recently begun to see a rise in reported sightings of black bears in suburban and urban areas,” he said. In June, black bears become more active as the breeding season begins and young bears relocate to their own spaces. Bears have an acute sense of smell and often attempt to eat whatever they identify as edible. If a bear is discovered at an unexpected location, residents are advised to observe the bear without attempting to interact with it. Nearly all bears that wander into urban and suburban areas will leave as quickly and quietly as they appear, without serious conflict or need for physical removal. Read the full story at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.