Katie Martin, district wildlife biologist for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, recently gave a program to the Friends of the Appomattox River (FAR) on black bears, their habitat and habits relating to Southside Virginia.

She pointed out that bears often use rivers as corridors in traveling from one area to another, but they are usually shy animals and will often leave an area if they hear humans approaching rather than face a confrontation.

Her account of smearing an orphaned cub with Vaseline to disguise its odor and putting it in the den of an accepting surrogate mother held all members in rapt attention.