Bear encounters rise in Smokies... Wildlife officials say be careful!

Wildlife officials are urging visitors to stay alert after a string of recent bear encounters in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including incidents involving bears chasing people and taking backpacks.

Officials say the encounters are a reminder that interactions with bears are always possible this time of year, as more campers head into parks and forests during the spring season.

"The most important thing is to keep food secured to know what to see to do when you see a bear out and about and to have your dog on a leash," said Ashley Hobbs, a BearWise coordinator with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Warmer temperatures are drawing both people and wildlife outdoors, increasing the likelihood of encounters. Experts say taking precautions before arriving at campsites or trails is key to preventing negative interactions.

Officials emphasize that awareness is critical, especially in light of recent encounters in the Smokies.

"Running can induce a chase response from a bear where otherwise you and that bear would have gone your separate ways had you slowly backed away in the opposite direction. The key here is to give a bear an escape route," Hobbs said.

If a bear approaches, Hobbs recommends making yourself appear larger and drawing attention.

"You want to get big and scary, put your arms over your head, yell, draw attention to yourself. If you're hiking with people, which you probably should be, gather up in a big group and let that bear know you mean business in order to dissuade that bear from coming any closer," she said.

Pet owners are also advised to take extra precautions.

"We never want to allow our dogs to chase or harass bears. Anytime that a person is injured by a black bear, it's most likely that there was an off-leash dog somewhere involved in that equation," Hobbs said.

Campers say they are taking those precautions seriously, especially when it comes to securing food and limiting odors that could attract wildlife.

"We've got a container for the dog food, for example, that is smell-proof and we have multiple containers where we keep all of our stuff, so all the food is secured in some kind of smell proof or otherwise container," Patrick Briscoe, a Maryland resident visiting Lake Powhatan, said.

If visitors encounter an issues with wildlife, they can contact the NC Wildlife Helpline Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5p.m., at 866-318-2401. Outside of business hours or less immediate concerns can be sent to HWI@ncwildlife.gov.

https://wlos.com/news/local/north-carolina-wildlife-wnc-caution-recent-black-bear-encounters-great-smoky-mountains-national-park-spring-season-precautions-tips-safety

#bears #bear #safety #news #nc
_______________
Follow WLOS on social media:

WLOS ABC 13 News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/News13/
WLOS ABC 13 News on X: https://x.com/WLOS_13
WLOS ABC 13 News on Instagram: https://instagram.com/wlos_13

Subscribe to WLOS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ABC13Channel/?sub_confirmation=1

For all of the day’s top local and national news, visit www.wlos.com
Stream our newscasts LIVE: www.wlos.com/watch

Have a news tip? Send it directly to us:
Email us: news@wlos.com
Call the Newsroom: 828.684.1340

--

WLOS ABC 13 News serves the Asheville, NC area and the rest of western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We keep our audience informed through local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of community events, sports and entertainment programming since 1954.

This video and all Sinclair Broadcast Group content archives of local news and sports coverage are available for your use. For more information contact us at contentsales@sbgtv.com

Видео Bear encounters rise in Smokies... Wildlife officials say be careful! канала WLOS News 13