At Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska, black bears have recently discovered a new source of nourishment—military rations. The hungry creatures broke into a storage room and motor pool, where they helped themselves to the convenient “Meals Ready to Eat” (MREs) stored for military personnel.
A Bear’s Unexpected Buffet
On October 28, wildlife officers at JBER responded to a report of a bear in a supply room. When they arrived, they found the area in disarray, with MRE packages and even M&Ms scattered on the floor. The bears seemed to have developed a particular fondness for these ready-to-eat meals, especially the high-calorie varieties intended to sustain soldiers in the field. But bears, who require up to 30,000 calories a day during hibernation preparation, were not satisfied with just a snack.
The following weeks saw more bear activity around the base. On November 2, wildlife officers discovered a young bear sitting inside a Humvee in the motor pool, apparently enjoying its surroundings. Although these incidents are rare, JBER wildlife officers are accustomed to responding to around 600 bear-related calls each year. Bears, it seems, are opportunistic feeders. When their natural food sources, like berries and salmon, become scarce, they turn to whatever food they can find—including the easy pickings from military stockpiles.
While these bear encounters may be amusing, they highlight the challenges of managing wildlife in an area where animals and humans often share space. With their keen sense of smell, bears are quick to follow their noses to a potential feast, even if that feast is in a military building or vehicle.
