Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

July 3, 2008 issue

Grin and Bear It:
Black Bears Are Part of the Mountain Fauna


Story by Celeste von ManganColleen Olfenbuttel, black bear and furbearer biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, often works in the field with black bears. Photo courtesy of Colleen Olfenbuttel

You hear the rumors every now and again—bears roaming around the mountains, ravaging people’s pets and lying in wait to maul your children next. The black bear is indigenous to North Carolina and part of the mountain fauna—some 4,000 bears live in the High Country—but how much of a threat are they to pets and humans? Not much, according to Colleen Olfenbuttel, black bear and furbearer biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
“Bears are not aggressive animals,” said Olfenbuttel. “There have not been any bear attacks in North Carolina, while people are bitten every day in North Carolina by dogs. People should expect to see wildlife in the mountains. I did research in Virginia on black bears for six years and I would go into their dens in winter to see if they had cubs or check a radio collar. I would crawl into these dens and the bears would put themselves in the back of the dens; they are afraid of people.”

Although bears generally avoid humans, Olfenbuttel said there have been more bear sightings in western North Carolina in recent years, largely because of increased bear populations and also because a higher percentage of people have chosen to live in the mountains.

“People are more likely to see bears now,” said Olfenbuttel. “I receive phone calls, as does our district biologist in North Carolina, about bear sightings in the mountains. The calls from the public have increased by 70 percent, although we haven’t seen any major problems—no bear activity where people are hurt. Most of the phone calls are about concerns for people’s safety or pet safety. We can resolve the problem 95 percent of the time over the phone; the other 5 percent of the time is usually a problem caused by humans. The presence of a bear alone is not a cause for concern.”

Education is the primary tool black bear biologists use to resolve bear/human conflict.

“The reason people see a bear is because they have attracted a bear,” said Olfenbuttel. “The number one culprit that attracts bears are unkempt trash cans; the second most frequent reason is bird feeders. Bears love birdseed.

“We see two contrasting views on bears. People either see them as Teddy bears or man-eating wild animals. Neither viewpoint is correct. We tell people if they see a bear, number one, don’t be concerned. If you live in the mountains, it is normal. Also, treat the animal with respect and keep a safe distance. If you are in your house and a bear is outside, enjoy the moment; the animal will move on.”

Black bear populations in North Carolina were very low in the early 1900s. As their numbers began to climb steadily starting in the 1970s, healthy populations were established in the North Carolina mountains, as well as in the coastal areas.
“Coastal bear population is around 7,000,” said Olfenbuttel. “Black bears on the coast are larger than the bears in the mountains and food is the primary reason for this. Coastal bears enjoy year-round food, including crops like corn and soybeans. Mountain bears rely on natural food sources like acorns and berries that can vary year by year.”

Complaints about black bears are three times as likely to come from the mountain regions versus the coast. “Complaints in the mountains far outnumber complaints from the coast,” said Olfenbuttel. “Last year, we had about 340 complaints from the mountains and less than 100 from the coastal areas.”

Between the mountains and the sea, Olfenbuttel said that although people in the region report bear sightings, no established populations exist in that area.
“In Wake County there have been some sightings but the bears are not established there—it is not the right habitat for bears,” she said.

Conflicts between humans and bears occur when people feed bears. “We have a saying here: A fed bear is a dead bear,” said Olfenbuttel. “Our policy is not to trap and relocate a bear if they become a nuisance. Once bears are fed directly or indirectly, they become habituated to humans and they lose their fear of them. We have to euthanize them. People think there are remote areas to release them. No remote areas remain in North Carolina any longer. If we relocate the animal, they will try their best to return to their old area because in the new area the bear has no food sources and they have to deal with other bears.”

Keeping Bears AwayGarbage is like candy for bears. If you live in the High Country, make sure you are not attracting bears by leaving garbage available for them to eat. Black bear biologists in North Carolina have a motto: “A fed bear is a dead bear.” Whether intentional or not, once habituated to humans through feeding, black bears always have to be euthanized. Photo courtesy of Colleen Olfenbuttel

Negative encounters with bears are almost always preventable. The following precautions from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission will help keep bear/human relations harmonious. If you have a black bear question, call Colleen Olfenbuttel at 919-629-2644.

• Secure bags of trash inside cans stored in a garage, basement or other secure area and place trash outside as late as possible on pick-up days—not the night before.
• Purchase bear-proof garbage cans or bear-proof your existing garbage container by outfitting it with a secure latching system.
• Discontinue feeding wild birds during spring and summer, even with feeders advertised as bear-proof. Bears can still be attracted to seed that spills on the ground.
• Do not free-feed pets outdoors. If you must feed pets outdoors, make sure all food is consumed.
• Clean all food and grease from barbecue grills after each use. Bears are attracted to the food odors and may investigate.