Bears in the Southeast are feeling summer is right around the corner and are waking up from their slumber.

Janine Stewart is a Human-Wildlife Conflict Management Biologist with Manitoba Sustainable Development. Stewart says the first thing bears are after in the spring is food and if they don't find it they will either return to their dens for a while longer or start wandering into populated areas where they may be drawn into conflict with people.

"This is where we encourage people to be proactive and try and prevent those conflicts from beginning. So, things like making sure to take down bird feeders, that's a particular attractant. So, before all the bears are active on the landscape, if people can take those down, put them away until usually, November would be a safe time to put them back up for winter bird watching."

Stewart says to avoid unwanted visitors it's also prudent to feed pets indoors, store garbage in an enclosed area like a garage or fence, and having bear-resistant garbage containers.

A mama bear and her four cubs were spotted just southwest of Richer. Stewart says the average number of cubs born to a single female in Manitoba is two-and-a-half with females having more cubs in the south compared to northern Manitoba.

She notes if you're venturing out into black bear country, there are a few safety tips to keep in mind.

"Don't be wearing earphones or something that's going to obstruct your hearing. Travel in a group, talk, make noise. If you have a pet, make sure to keep it on a leash, they can cause issues with bears and other wildlife, provoking an attack. We recommend you keep bear deterrent spray, keep it easily accessible and make sure that you're familiar with how to use it properly."

Stewart says there are about 25,000 to 35,000 bears in Manitoba.