About 5,000 black bears live in and around the Adirondacks, and the state Department of Environmental Conservation is warning campers, hikers and homeowners to take precautions against unwanted encounters with black bears while enjoying the outdoors.

Black bears will become a nuisance and can cause significant damage if they believe they can obtain an easy meal from bird feeders, garbage cans, dumpsters, barbecue grills, tents, vehicles, out-buildings or houses, a statement from the DEC said. When bears learn to obtain food from human sources, their natural foraging habits and behavior are changed. It is illegal to intentionally feed bears, and incidental or indirect bear feeding is illegal once a written warning has been issued by DEC.

Once a bear becomes a problem, DEC is often asked to intervene. Bear relocations are rarely effective at solving the problem, because relocated bears often return to their original capture site or simply continue their bad habits at a new location. If the circumstances that led to the original problem persist, other bears will quickly be attracted to the site.

Bears that become accustomed to obtaining food from humans will often become bold and assertive in their quest for food, potentially leading to property damage or dangerous situations for humans. Unfortunately, this can result in DEC having to kill the bear, proving the adage, "a fed bear is a dead bear."

The most effective way to prevent bears from becoming a problem is by not attracting them to your home, camp or campsite.

These tips can help:

• Never feed bears.

• If you believe that bears are being fed, intentionally or unintentionally, report it to DEC.

• Stop feeding birds as soon as the snow melts. Birds do not need supplemental food in the summer, when natural foods are most abundant. Clean up all seed fragments and shells left over from winter feeding as the smell can attract bears.

• Dispose of garbage as frequently as possible. Store it in clean, secure containers (top-latched, tied or chained). Sprinkle ammonia inside the garbage bag before closing. Tie off garbage bags before placing them in containers. Keep garbage containers inside buildings whenever possible.

• If garbage is picked up at the curb, put the garbage out just before the scheduled pickup or place it in a roadside bear-resistant container. Do not put garbage out the night before curbside pick-up. Clean garbage cans frequently with ammonia.

• Do not add meat scraps, bones or melon rinds to your compost pile.

• Do not burn garbage, especially meat scraps and grease.

• Clean barbecue grills before nightfall and, after they cool down, store them inside.

• Feed pets indoors and store pet food indoors. If pets must be fed outdoors, bring in uneaten food and dishes before dark.

In the backcountry:

• Store food, toiletries and garbage in bear-resistant containers or "food hangs." If you have no choice but to hang your food, be sure to use a dark colored cord 75 feet long and hang the bag 15 feet above the ground and at least 10 feet away from trees.

• Keep food in hangs or in bear-resistant containers at all times, and take down only what is needed for cooking. Bear-resistant canisters are a highly effective means for preventing bears from getting food, toiletries and garbage from back country campers.

• Bear-resistant containers are required to be used by all overnight campers within the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness Zone of the Adirondack Forest Preserve.

• Never leave food unattended unless it is in a bear-resistant container or in a food hang.

• Never cook or eat in your sleeping area.

• Cook early, no later than 5 p.m. if at all possible.

In campgrounds:

• Do not leave coolers or food out at any time. Store them securely in either the trunk of your car or in the passenger area of your truck. Keep windows shut and food and coolers out of sight.

• Where food lockers are provided, food and coolers must be stored and locked inside.

• Clean up immediately after all meals.

• Clean grills, pots, pans, cooking utensils, and wash basins after each use.

• Do not wash dishes under the water faucets.

• Do not put grease, garbage, plastic diapers, cans, bottles or other refuse into the fireplace.

• Do not keep food or coolers in your tent.

• Do not wear clothing to bed that was worn while preparing or eating meals.

• Keep campsites as clean as possible. Bring all garbage and recyclables to the recycling center each day by 8 p.m.

While these rules are required to be followed at DEC campgrounds, campers at other private and public campgrounds are also strongly encouraged to follow these practices to avoid bear encounters.

For more information about bear-resistant containers, see www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7225.html.

For additional information about bears in New York State and the initiatives DEC is employing to help study and manage the population, visit the DEC black bear web page at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6960.html.