The May Photo of the Month, submitted by volunteer David Kubick, shows a large black bear in a backyard, attracted to what appears to be food in a small bowl.  Note the blue tag on the ear of the bear in this photo. We have been receiving many photo submissions featuring these tags or collars, so we asked Meghan Crawford from MADFW about these sightings. Meghan was kind to share the following information: 

For the last 40 years, MassWildlife biologists, graduate students, and researchers have been using radio tracking collars to collect essential information from female black bears (sows). Today, there are about 40 sows in the state with radio tracking collars. These collars provide data about sow survival, reproduction rates, and cub survival. Thanks to funding from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), about half of the collars have GPS units that track bear movement and habitat use. This data helps MassWildlife and MassDOT improve habitat connectivity and minimize road impacts on bears and other wildlife. All of this information is critical to understanding our growing and expanding black bear population. 

In addition to collars, people may also see bears with colored ear tags. MassWildlife uses small blue ear tags for our research bears. We also use large, yellow ear tags for all animals that are immobilized in a Large Animal Response Team situation (ex. if a bear is relocated from a potentially dangerous situation). These ear tags do not track movement, but they do have numbers on them that allow MassWildlife to identify the individual bear when sighted.

Learn more at mass.gov/bears

For any more mammal sightings, submit any photos to the form here!

Reminder to anyone with a Ring camera or similar security system installed; these systems help us collect important data on the presence and absence of mammals in your area. We welcome you to join our team of registered volunteers who submit photos once a month. Having regular reports from a fixed location allows us to learn even more about mammals in your area than individual sightings.  New volunteers can register here 

The 2024-2025 school year was an incredibly rewarding one for MassMammals. On the Education team, we welcomed multiple new members to our team, who, despite coming from a variety of academic disciplines, share a common love for bringing their excitement about science to the broader community. 

This year, the team has taught almost 40 lessons in schools across the Pioneer Valley and formed multiple new collaborations with educators. We have also participated in a number of community events at the Jones Library, the Beneski Museum of Natural History, the Bridge Street Elementary School, and the Amherst Historical Society. 

We have also been making significant progress in our research. We recently submitted a manuscript for publication, detailing a hands-on, active learning lesson that engages students in understanding the progression of fall foliage color change and eventual leaf loss. Additionally, we have spent about one and a half years preparing for the initiation of our next study, in which we are interested in how our project has impacted students’ scientific experiences. 

We are immensely grateful to everyone who has collaborated with us, as they helped make the program what it is today. We are very excited for what is to come for the next school year!

During reading period, our fantastic team went on an adventure to Flayvors Farm for some ice cream! It has been a great year with this group. We gained seven members and are excited to have our members who are studying abroad return in the fall. During the school year, we have our Education Team meetings separate from our Data and Outreach Team meetings, so it was nice to mingle with one another and celebrate all of our accomplishments.  Congratulations to our senior members on their Amherst careers! 

Call For Photos!  Please send us your photos of bears in your backyard--and ask your neighbors and friends as well.  If you have NextDoor, this can be a great way to reach folks near where you live and invite them to join us in this project.

You, our treasured volunteers, have immense curiosity about the mammals in Massachusetts. For the past two years, we have been working with your data to create a model of black bear distribution in the state. We look forward to updating you on that project soon. In the meantime, we are interested in thinking about what bears are doing when you see them in your yard.  Please send us photos/observations of what your backyard bears are up to!

Meet Luke!

What is your class year?  

 Class of 2027 

What is your major? 

Biology and Spanish

What is a fun fact about you? 

Growing up, I had pet Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Their names were Mr. Fluffington and Phil. 

Why did you join MassMammals? 

When I was first introduced to citizen/community science in Dr. Kristensen's Adaptation and the Organism lab, I was immediately drawn to its ability to engage participants both inside and outside of traditional academic/scientific settings. I found it inspiring how this approach invites new voices into the research process and grows public interest in research. MassMammals offers an incredible opportunity to continue supporting citizen science as a tool for addressing questions about the natural world around us.