Environment
Wildlife moves north, south, as climate warms, forest regrow
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By SILU GUO
Capital News Service
LANSING – Bears, porcupines, bobcats and pileated woodpeckers are moving their homes far to the south, while small mammals like mice, squirrels, chipmunks and opossums are moving north, according to the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy. This mutual shift in wildlife distributions and densities – together with an exploding population of certain species – is becoming evident in many locations across the state. John Niewoonder, a Department of Natural Resources(DNR) state wildlife biologist based in Grand Rapids, said the best example is the black bear. “Black bears are rare, even seven years ago in Grand Rapids. Usually they appear in the Upper North, but this year we see them outside the city.”
“People saw bears a couple of years ago in the Lansing area.