The internet is full of videos about the crazy interactions that mankind has had with bears. Some of these interactions border on the scary side while others can be quite humorous. Here in Louisiana we've been seeing more and more interactions with Black Bears over the past ten years because the population of that species had gradually grown.

The number of Black Bears in the wild has grown in such proportions that in a ceremony today in Tensas Parish the Louisiana Black Bear has been officially removed from the endangers species list.  Robert Barham, former Secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries whose department was tasked with bringing the bear population in the state back from the brink extinction explained.

We were certainly less than a hundred bear at one point. So it was a fragile group of bears that existed at one time.

Barham's remarks were reported by the Louisiana Radio Network. Through the efforts of his department the bear population has now increased in significant numbers that officials feel confident in saying the Louisiana Black Bear will be around Louisiana's woods for generations to come.

We have independently affirmed that we have a viable population that will be here for our grandchildren’s enjoyment. So the teddy bear is back.

In order for a species to be removed from the endangered species list there must be two verifiable populations of that species. If scientist determine that there enough creatures in those populations to sustain the species for the next 100 years then the designation is lifted. For the Black Bear, populations in the Atchafalaya Basin and the Tensas River area have been determined to be sustainable.

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