Governor Patrick To Join Annual Black Bear Cub Survey

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick is set to join an annual survey of black bear cubs in Massachusetts.

Monday's survey will allow researchers to check in on the health of the state's population of black bears.

MassWildlife began its study of the bears in 1970 in cooperation with the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When the study began, there were about 100 black bears in Massachusetts. The population has since grown to about 3,000 bears.

Researchers track a small number of the bears wearing radio collars.

Patrick is set to join the survey Monday morning in South Deerfield.

It won't be his first time.

In 2009, Patrick helped watch over two small bear cubs while researchers checked the health of their 200-pound mother.

Black bear cubs are typically born mid-January through February.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.