A black bear biologist says Missouri’s black bear population is growing. Laura Conlee with the state conservation department tells Brownfield they estimate Missouri is home to roughly 800 black bears with around nine-percent annual population growth.
“So, we’re seeing this kind of rise in numbers and as those numbers increase bears are occupying areas that would be former range,” Conlee said. “So, historical range, forested parts of the state but we also have bears showing up in areas of human habitation.”
Conlee said the population is expanding from the far southern wooded areas in the state to similar areas further north like southwest of St.
