Living With Bears in Highlands, NC by Judy Michaud, Broker

SAFETY TIPS for LIVING WITH BEARS!

People, as well as, bears are moving to Western North Carolina at a rapid pace. WE are the newcomers to these mountains. Up here on the Highlands-Cashiers plateau, we do live among a very large population of Black Bears, who have roamed these mountains for ages. The Black Bear is the only species of bear living in the mountains of Western North Carolina. In the past 20 years, the range of the Black Bear in North Carolina has expanded to over 9 million acres which includes the coastal area as well as the mountains.

Many people have reported sightings of black bears in their yards, raiding garbage cans, birdfeeders, and crossing roads. By learning more about these gentle creatures as well as preventative measures, we all can co-exist peacefully. If these preventative measures are not learned, the bear becomes a nuisance bear.

WHAT IS A NUISANCE BEAR???

A bear is considered a nuisance when it learns to find and gets used to eating human food. Finding this food either from garbage where people live or recreate or camp sites bears become accustomed to the ease of finding human food. This bear must be captured and relocated to another area or euthanized to prevent them from becoming an increased danger to people. You can protect yourself, family and belongings AND bears by learning how to live with bears and other wildlife.

Black Bears are the largest mammals living in the forest of North Carolina. The average weight is 150-350 pounds, but a few bears over 600 pounds have been reported. Bears are omnivorous (as are humans), eating a wide variety of foods such as plants, berries, acorns, other nuts, insects, fruit, as well as some animal material. Black Bears are usually shy and try to avoid human contact and are not normally aggressive toward people.

So as the population of both bears and humans increase in our area, we must learn to co-exist. Don’t let your ignorance or carelessness cause the unnecessary death of a bear!

BEAR ENCOUNTERS - SEEING AND AVOIDING BEARS

If you spend much time outdoors in Western North Carolina either hiking, visiting waterfalls, fishing or nature walking the chances of encountering a black bear are very good. Watching bears in their natural environment from a safe, respectable distance is very exhilarating.

Positive experiences by visitors and residents of The Highlands Plateau are far more common than negative. Although extremely rare, meeting an aggressive bear sometimes occurs. The following are some tips to avoid them.

•Hiking in a group and during daylight hours.

• Be aware. Learn about and watch for bear signs.

• Overturned rocks or broken up rotten logs (bears foraging for grubs or insects)…..Claw marks on trees…..tracks in the dirt or snow……..Berries on the ground, plant root diggings, fur on the bark of trees

• Stay away from food sources (wild berry patches, or fruit trees with fruit on the ground)and dead animals - bears may be foraging in the area or protecting a carcass.

If you see a bear, remain watchful. DO NOT approach it. If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior (stops feeding, looks at you, changes its travel direction) YOU ARE TOO CLOSE!! Don’t run away, just back away slowly, watching the bear.

If the bear starts running toward you, making loud noises or swatting the ground, he is signaling that he needs more space. Try to increase the distance between you and the bear. The bear will probably do the same. If it comes toward you without the paw swatting and loud noises and continues to follow you - Make yourself look as large as possible. Throw NON-Food objects such as rocks at the bear. Use a deterrent such as a stout stick. Do not run and don’t turn away from the bear. Don’t leave food for the bear; this encourages further problems.

Most injuries from a Black Bear attack are minor as a rule from a bear attempting to get at food. If the bear’s behavior indicated that it is after your food, and you are physically attacked, separate yourself from the food and slowly back away. If the bear does not show interest in your food, fight back aggressively with any available object - the bear may consider you prey!

TRUE or FALSE?

1. A bear that stands on its hind legs is preparing to charge.

FALSE: A bear that is standing on its hind legs is usually trying to identify you by scent or sight. Bears rarely attack, but when they do it is on all fours with their head down.

2. A bear’s sense of smell is better than a dog’s.

TRUE: In fact, it is one of the most sensitive noses in the animal world.

3. Bears are naturally aggressive towards humans.

FALSE: Bears are shy, retiring creatures who only act aggressively as a last resort - usually when they feel threatened.

4. The best way to get away from an aggressive bear is by running.

FALSE: Bears can run as fast as a racehorse for short distances and running might trigger their chase response.

5. Bears cannot run downhill.

FALSE: Bears can run faster than any human - in any direction.

For more information you can call the Appalachian Bear Center or you can go to www.insightwildlife.com. The Nature Center in Highlands is also a great source for more information on Bears in Highlands and Cashiers

Remember, bears are far more likely to enhance your wilderness experience than spoil it. Learning how to interpret their behavior and act responsibly is part of the thrill of sharing the mountain with these wild amazing creatures.

At your mountain home or rental property:

• If you feed your pet outside, make sure you bring in the food and dish at night.

• Bring in your bird feeders at night or empty them nightly (bears love the black oily sunflower seeds)

• Keep your garbage cans inside a building or shed until pick-up day. If you have particularly odorous food scraps such as fish and/or meat bones, freeze before the day of your garbage pick up.

• Put out your garbage out only a couple of hours before pick up not the night before.

• If you are going out of town, haul your garbage to the dump. Do not leave until pick up day.

• NEVER TRY TO FEED A BEAR- a FED Bear is a DEAD Bear

If a bear comes into your yard, just watch it from a window and realize how lucky you are to be able to see such a majestic animal so close. The bear is a wild animal and he needs to be treated like a wild animal.

About The Author

Twenty years ago, Judy Michaud began her real estate career in Highlands, North Carolina. She’s spent over twenty years honing her craft and has become one of the two top broker/agents in this bustling arena. To find out more about Highlands, NC real estate visit http://meadowsmtnrealty.com.