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How to Stop Bears From Tipping Over Garbage

As humans encroach more on the natural habitats of animals such as bears, and especially black bears, those animals increasingly come to human-inhabited areas looking for food. Making it physically impossible for a bear to tip a garbage can over is extremely difficult, as bears are large and very strong. Rather, the best strategy to take is to prevent the bear from ever becoming interested in your garbage cans.

Things You'll Need

Garage
Bleach
Plastic bags
Camphor disks
Bear-proof garbage container

Instructions

- 1
  Leave garbage in a garage until garbage day. If the bear cannot access the garbage, it will not be able to tip the garbage can over.
- 2
  Clean out your garbage cans on a regular basis with a powerful cleaner, such as bleach. Bears are primarily drawn to garbage by the smell, so regular cleanings make garbage far less attractive to bears. Also use plastic bags for your garbage and ensure that they are tightly sealed.
- 3
  Place camphor disks inside the garbage can with the garbage. The disks help mask the odors in the garbage can, which is, again, the thing that attracts bears to your garbage.
- 4
  Use a bear-proof garbage can to prevent bears from gaining access to your garbage. These are sturdy containers with latching lids made specifically to keep bears out. Bears tend to be habitual, and if they know they can access your garbage, they will keep coming back. Likewise, if they know they cannot access your garbage, they come back far less.

Animals & Science