NATCHEZ — Apparently Yogi has some relatives in southeast Mississippi.

Last month, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks caught a 310 pound male Louisiana black bear in a live trap near Rodney.

“The bear had actually gotten into a fenced-in 30 acre pen,” Bear Biologist Brad Young said. “The pen had electric wire around the top and the bear got zapped and lunged inside.

“It was afraid to leave because it didn’t want to get zapped again.”

In order to microchip, analyze and tag the bear, the MDWFP caught the bear using a culvert trap — a pipe on a trailer with bait inside.

Since it’s capture and release in Jefferson County, the bear was located last Thursday in around Port Gibson, 20 miles north of where it had been released.

Twenty miles may seem like a long distance to travel, but Young said it’s not uncommon, considering it’s breeding season.

“I’m sure he’s just looking for a mate,” he said.

According to Young, bears are not uncommon to Mississippi, although there were more a decade ago.

“Once upon a time, black bears were very common in Mississippi,” Young said. “Over time, because of over-hunting, and loss of habitat, they’ve become endangered.”

However, Young said the bear population in Mississippi was on the rise.

“In Mississippi, they’re actually increasing slowly,” he said. “The last five years we’ve documented the birth of bear cubs.

“It’s the first time we’ve seen females in Mississippi.”

Young said at around 1927, it was estimated there were only a dozen females in the Magnolia State.

This is in part because of dispersing males, and a matter of bear ecology.

“When a bear has a male and female cub, the male can disperse for hundreds of miles in any direction,” Young said. “It’s a way nature prevents inner-breeding.

“Females stay closer to home.”

Lately, in part because Louisiana and Arkansas are trying to increase their bear populations, “Some of those female bears have jumped ship and come into Mississippi,” Young said.

Bears typically stay within a 40-50 square-mile range in Mississippi.

Young estimates Mississippi is currently home to around 100 bears.

Unlike in the movies and on television, Young said bear attacks are so uncommon, they have yet to hear of a bear attack in Mississippi.

This is in part because of bears innate shyness, which is why the forests of Mississippi are a perfect habitat for them.

“It’s a very good habitat, very steep,” Young said.

“The biggest perk is places for them to hide and stay away from people.

“They’re very shy.”

In Mississippi there are two types of bears, Louisiana black bears, and American black bears.

While Louisiana black bears roam primarily southern Mississippi, Louisiana and East Texas, American black bears call northern Mississippi home.

“You can’t tell them apart just by looking at them,” Young said.

On average, Louisiana black bears live up to 25 years. Females average 150-200 pounds, while males average 200-250 pounds. Young said the male caught in Jefferson County was the second largest he’s ever seen.

Ninety percent of what bears eat is some form of plant matter — grasses, berries, acorns, leaves.

“They’re not active predators in the sense they don’t stalk prey,” Young said.

Also somewhat of a misnomer about bears, they don’t typically fish.

“Not so much,” Young said.

“They might eat a fish if it’s already dead. Basically anything that doesn’t run away.”

Young said people get black bears and grizzly bears confused, and that, along with watching television and movies, is where misconceptions about black bears come from.

If a bear wanders onto your property, or you have a bear sighting, you can call the MDWFP at 601-432-2242. For more information on black bears in Mississippi, you can visit mdwfp.com/bear.