The Nevada Department of Wildlife has announced the creation of the BEAR hotline to give Northern Nevadans a phone number to report bear problems: (775) 688-BEAR (2327).

The BEAR hotline is wired directly into the department's dispatch center in Reno. Normal business hours are 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. The hotline is for those who have bear problems. If you have simply sighted bears, or have had garbage cans tipped by bears please refer to the agency Web site at www.ndow.org, and select "Keep Me Wild" to learn about how to reduce bear problems by removing attractants, such as garbage, pet food and bird feeders.

"The hotline is designed to be more responsive to bear problems," said Ken Mayer, a director for the department.

The Department will make every effort to respond to calls, based on prioritized threat levels. "We will do our best to respond to calls, but keep in mind that biologists and wardens have other duties as well, such as deer surveys or poaching investigations," said Mayer.

Last year, department personnel handled 1,531 bear complaints compared to 350 in 2006. Consistent with wildlife conflict policies in other western states, the department does not usually set bear traps unless the human-caused attractant has been removed or exclusionary precautions have been taken.