Times Observer file photo Federal officials are encouraging campers in the Jakes Rocks area to take precautions amid increases in bear activity. This bear was found at a Water St. residence several years ago.

Federal officials have raised the alarm regarding increased bear activity at campsites around Jakes Rocks.

“Bears have been reported at numerous campsites across the forest,” public affairs information assistant Shoshanna Ochocki said.

“Dispersed campsites along Forest Road 259 and Forest Road 160 have had increased bear activity, with bears entering campsites, taking food and damaging property.”

Forest Road 160 is also called Jakes Rocks Rd. and runs from Brown Run to Jakes Rocks past the Seneca Pumped Storage area, or upper reservoir above the Kinzua Dam.

Forest Road 259 is south of Jakes Rocks.

Dispersed camping is camping in a national forest outside of a designated campground.

“Bears are always searching for food,” Ochocki said. “They are intelligent animals and have great memories.”

While most will try to avoid humans, she said that “bears can also learn to associate people with food.

“When bears associate people with food, they can lose their natural fear of humans and even enter sites when people are present.”

There’s an obvious danger to people in this scenario but also one for the bears.

“When bears continue to pose an active threat to people,” Ochocki said, “they will be trapped and relocated or possibly euthanized.”

The Forest Service offered several guidelines aimed to “limit their risk of bear encounters” including not feeding wildlife, keeping a clean campsite, not storing food or scented items in a tent and not leaving food unattended.

The agency also recommends the use of “bear-resistant food storage containers” or hanging food in a bear bag as well as not storing garbage at a campsite and cooking and storing food away from a sleeping area when camping at an undeveloped location.