SVMC's Wellness Connection: Sept. 27

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September 27, 2024

A Note to Our Readers: 'Living Better'

In partnership with Dartmouth Health, our Wellness Connection newsletter will be changing to a bi-weekly format starting next month. If you enjoy Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s Wellness Connection e-newsletter, we encourage you to sign up for Dartmouth Health's Living Better biweekly email. Every other week, Living Better explores one health topic from a number of different angles.

 

Sign up for the Living Better newsletter here. The next issue of Wellness Connection will publish on Friday, Oct. 11.
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Celebrate Healthy Aging

 

It’s never too late to strive for a healthier lifestyle and September (aka Healthy Aging Month) is the perfect time to make a plan. SVMC’s Chief Nursing Officer Pamela Duchene shares tips for maintaining your physical and emotional health so you can make the most of your second act.
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SVMC Flu Clinics

 

When it comes to flu shots, the expression ‘the earlier the better’ 100% applies. With flu activity typically ticking up in October, NOW is the time to schedule shots for you and your family. Get vaccinated and get protected!
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Sasquatch Search Comes to Bennington

 

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center has partnered with other community organizations and businesses to launch the Bennington Sasquatch Search on Saturday, Oct. 12. The event encourages kids and families to play outside and explore the mysteries of Sasquatch. Otherwise known as Bigfoot, Sasquatch is a mythical biped who holds a special place in Vermont folklore and pop culture.

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Fish and Wildlife Department: Take Down Birdfeeders, Secure Food from Bears

MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has begun to receive reports of bears coming out of their dens and is urging Vermonters to remove their birdfeeders and take additional steps now to prevent conflicts with bears over the spring and summer.
 
"Do not wait to take down your birdfeeders and bearproof your yard until a bear comes to visit," said Jaclyn Comeau, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department's Bear Biologist.  "You need to act now to head off bear conflicts over the spring and summer, even if you have never had a bear visit your property before."
 
Bear incidents have been on the rise over the past several years.  Officials believe this trend is a result of Vermont's healthy black bear population learning to associate people and food over multiple generations.  Even with a steady increase in the number bears harvested by hunters in recent years—including a record harvest in 2024—Vermont's bear population has been stable over the past two decades and shows signs of growth over the past five years.
 
Shorter winters also mean that bears are emerging from their dens earlier in the spring.  In recent years bear activity has begun in mid-March.  This is roughly two weeks earlier than what is traditionally considered the start of "bear-aware season" in northern New England.
 
"Preventing bears from having access to human-related foods is key to successful coexistence with these long-lived and intelligent animals," said Comeau. "Bears can be found in every corner of Vermont other than the Champlain islands.  Put bluntly, most Vermonters live in bear country."
 
The department asks Vermonters to take the following proactive steps for coexisting with bears: 
 
  • Take down birdfeeders between mid-March and December.
  • Store garbage in bear-resistant containers or structures, trash cans alone are not enough.  
  • Follow the steps on our web page for composting in bear country. 
  • Use electric fences to keep chickens and honeybees safe. 
  • Request a bear-resistant dumpster from your waste hauler. 
  • Feed your pets indoors. 
  • Never feed bears, it is illegal.
 
"Deep snow may delay some bears from emerging from winter dens until April, but mid-March is the time for Vermonters to prepare for the early risers by taking down our birdfeeders, making sure garbage is secure, and protecting backyard chickens and bees with an electric fence," said Comeau.  "This will help teach bears that our yards and neighborhoods are not good places to search for food, but it will only work if everyone does their part."  Taking these precautions will also help reduce the chance of attracting other wildlife species such as raccoons, skunks and rodents.
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