Tribes Distributing Bear-Resistant Trash Cans

RONAN, Mont. (AP) — The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have purchased 125 trash canisters designed to thwart bears looking for an easy meal on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

The tribes are giving the containers to homeowners who have had problems with bears getting into trash.

The 95-gallon containers cost $300 and were purchased with a Tribal Wildlife Incentive Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Bill and Barb Foust have been testing the containers at their home on the front of the Mission Mountains and say bears so far haven't been able to get into them.

Opening the containers involves flipping two small latches to unlock the lid.