Tag: Black bear

Black bear breaks in to 5 Asheville homes, still on loose

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Black bear walking across a mountain cabin porch at dusk

Bears are not an uncommon sight in Western North Carolina, but a burglar bear is a little less common. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has stated that a female bear has been breaking into homes in the Asheville area. Officials believe that she has no fear of people, learned that homes have food for her to eat inside them, and that she poses a threat to humans. “She has learned that all homes have food inside. This bear not only poses a risk to human safety, but she is teaching her cubs the same dangerous and unnatural behavior,” the N.C. WRC said in an update on Sept. 2. N.C. WRC first started tracking the bear on Aug. 18, after a Buncombe County resident encountered a female black bear inside her house and sustained non-life-threatening injuries as the bear attempted to exit the home. Since then, the female bear has tried to break into another four homes. “She is not afraid of people, causing extensive property damage, and has forcibly entered homes of residents that have no evidence of unsecured trash or other unsecured attractants outdoors,” the N.C. WRC said.

Breaking-and-entering black bear in Asheville area

Around 24-hours after her initial break-in on Aug. 18, the bear reportedly broke into a second home and tried to get into another home. The break-ins continued last weekend when the female bear tried to get into two more homes in the Asheville area, N.C. WRC stated. Officials state they know the same bear is the culprit responsible for all the break-ins due to her “distinctive” markings.

Is the bear still on the loose in Asheville?

What will happen to it? The female bear is on the loose. Once she is captured, the bear will be humanely euthanized, officials said. Wildlife officials stated that two of her cubs have been captured. Since the cubs are so young, they have been relocated to an undeveloped area to keep them away from populated areas.

Are black bears dangerous?

What to do if you see a black bear N.C. WRC BearWise warns that while black bears are generally not dangerous and rarely aggressive toward humans, people sharing territory with the animals should do their part to reduce the potential for conflict.

Black bear safety program BearWise recommendations include:

  • Never feed or approach bears. 
  • Secure food, garbage and recycling. 
  • Remove bird feeders when bears are active. 
  • Never leave pet food outdoors. 
  • Clean and store grills and smokers. 
  • Alert neighbors to bear activity.

What you should do if you run into a black bear in Western North Carolina

The National Park Service suggests people do this if they run into a bear:

  • Remain watchful.
  • Do not approach it.
  • Do not allow the bear to approach you.
  • If the bear is at a distance, feeding, or walking by and notices you but continues its natural behavior, no action is needed on your part.
  • Proceed while continuing to observe the bear. If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior (stops feeding, changes its travel direction, watches you, etc.), you are too close.
  • Being too close may provoke aggressive behavior in the bear, such as running toward you, making loud noises, or swatting the ground. The bear is demanding more space. Don’t run, but slowly back away, watching the bear. Increase the distance between you and the bear. The bear will probably do the same.

Source: Black bear breaks in to 5 Asheville homes, still on loose

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 16:25

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Bear encounters are on the rise. Here’s what to do if you meet one

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Black bear and three cubs walking through a dry mountain forest

A drought in the western U.S. has devastated wildlands, dried up food sources and sent bears wandering along city sidewalks and into homes and shops in search of food. What should you do if you meet a bear? Reuters ​turned to BearWise, opens new tab, which bear biologists started in the southeastern United States in 2018 and that grew into ‌a national program of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.

SHOULD PEOPLE FEAR BEARS?

Over millennia, humans have mythologized, vilified and attributed personalities to bears. Smart, strong and fast, bears can weigh hundreds of pounds and are feared predators in the wild. But they typically avoid people and ​rarely attack them, scientists say.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A BEAR FEELS THREATENED?

A bear that is huffing, ​moaning or clacking its jaws is showing it is feeling threatened and prepared to defend itself. ⁠BearWise advises standing your ground in the face of a defensive bear, even if it moves toward you. If ​it makes contact, play dead, protecting your head, until it goes away.

WHAT IF THE BEAR IS AGGRESSIVE?

While a defensive bear ​is noisy and obviously stressed, an aggressive or predatory bear is quiet and moves deliberately. In this situation, experts advise shouting, throwing rocks and using bear spray. If a predatory bear makes physical contact, fight back.

DOES IT MATTER WHETHER IT’S A BLACK OR GRIZZLY BEAR?

No, according ​to Nate Bowersock, a black bear biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation and chair of the BearWise working group ​of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. The key is to respond to the bear’s behavior, not its species.

Bears can be hard ‌to tell ⁠apart, especially if you are under pressure. Grizzlies, also known as brown bears, are distinguished in appearance by a shoulder hump. Individual black or grizzly bears vary from black to light brown and range in size.

WHERE ARE NORTH AMERICA’S BEARS?

Black bears are numerous and found across the U.S. and in Canada and Mexico. Most grizzlies, whose population has rebounded because ​of conservation efforts, live in ​Alaska and northern Canada, but ⁠also in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington state.

HOW CAN YOU AVOID TROUBLE?

If you spot a bear, do not approach. Do not gather to gawk if a bear shows up in ​your neighborhood.

If you find a bear in your home or business, leave and call ​in expert help, ⁠Bowersock said.

“Back away quietly,” he said.

Do not feed bears, and that includes not leaving pet food outside, keeping trash bins off the street until pickup morning and keeping barbecue grills clean.

IT’S A DROUGHT. SHOULDN’T I FEED THE BEARS?

Bowersock said people would be ⁠mistaken to ​think they are helping by feeding bears, and that it is even ​more important not to do so during a drought.

“If a bear finds food near people and starts to associate human areas with food, they will ​likely spend even more time in the future near people, even during non-drought times.”

Source: Bear encounters are on the rise. Here’s what to do if you meet one | Reuters

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Matthew 22:37

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Warning from wildlife expert after Wisconsin bear attack

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Black bear walking on forest floor covered with fallen autumn leaves

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Monday continued to investigate a black bear attack in Barron County that landed a 69-year-old woman in the hospital. What You Need To Know The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Monday continued to investigate a black bear attack in Barron County that landed a 69-year-old woman in the hospital DNR said there are about 24,000 bears in the state. Most of Wisconsin’s bears live in the northern two-thirds of the state The DNR also said black bears are not normally aggressive and will avoid humans as much as they can.

However, bears are known to be aggressive if their cubs are nearby and they feel threatened The woman was able to call 911 around 2 p.m. Saturday after the attack happened. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment. She is currently in stable condition.  Officials said upon arrival, they searched for the bear. They located a cub in a tree. Officials said because of this, they believe the incident revolved around a “sow and cub,” otherwise known as a mother and baby bear. However, it is unknown why the attack happened, officials said.  Officials attempted to track the bear but have been unable to locate it, despite working with a trained bear hound dog. DNR said there is an ongoing effort to find the bear; several bear traps have been set. 

DNR said if captured, “the goal is to euthanize the bear and assess its condition.”  The DNR said the bear “exhibited a sustained series of aggressive behaviors towards the victim.” Black bears, officials said, who are aggressive, are more likely to repeat aggressive behavior. The DNR said its priority is human safety.  “Humane euthanasia is not always the standard practice in human/bear conflicts. Our actions in these types of situations are very carefully determined based upon the totality of the known evidence of each event,” said Randy Johnson, DNR large carnivore specialist. “Although we’re still working to piece together every element of what transpired in this incident, we know enough to warrant attempting to livetrap at the location of the incident and humanely euthanize this bear if captured.” The DNR said if it does capture the cub, it will be released back into the wild. Cubs can survive on their own by this time of year. 

The DNR said it did capture a male bear that was not involved in the attack. It was released.  “I know it can be really concerning when we have an event like this,” said Cady Sartini. “The main thing people need to remember is that black bear attacks are really rare, especially here in Wisconsin.” Sartini is an associate professor of wildlife at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and principal investigator for the Wisconsin Black Bear Project. DNR said there are about 24,000 bears in the state. Most of Wisconsin’s bears live in the northern two-thirds of the state.  The DNR also said black bears are not normally aggressive and will avoid humans as much as they can. However, bears are known to be aggressive if their cubs are nearby and they feel threatened.  Sartini said that while run-ins with a black bear can be few and far between, it’s still important for people to know what to do if they were to come into contact with one. “In most cases, the bear is going to go on about its business and you can go on about your business,” Sartini said.

“The best thing to do is to just back away slowly and let that bear be a bear… If the bear does happen to approach you, a good thing to do is to make yourself look big, make sure the bear knows that you know its there…” The DNR also offered these tips should someone encounter a bear:  If you encounter a bear in your yard or near your home: “Place yourself in a secure area so the bear has a clear escape path “Make a lot of noise by yelling, honking a car horn or banging pots and pans “Consider installing motion-activated water sprinklers, lights or alarms” If you encounter a bear while camping, hunting or hiking:  “Never approach a bear “Do not run “Do not lie down or play dead “Talk to the bear or start shouting if it doesn’t leave “Raise your arms above your head and wave them to appear larger than you are “Slowly back away and don’t turn your back on the bear “Always leave an escape route for the bear “Fight back if attacked”

Source: Warning from wildlife expert after Wisconsin bear attack

You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.
Lamentations 5:19

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Black bear spotted wandering around Worcester, Massachusetts: “I was terrified” 😱

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dramatic portrait of a black bear in low light

Neighborhoods around Doherty High School in Worcester, Massachusetts were on alert after a black bear was seen roaming around on Thursday morning. You could say the suspect in the chase really put his climbing skills on full display. A black bear was caught on camera scaling a retaining wall near Doherty High School, as Environmental Police followed close behind. Parents picking up their kids from school spotted the bear meandering nearby. The busy bear trekked through town trying to find its way and half a mile away, it came face to face with Gail Barrell in her backyard. “My heart was racing,” said Barrell. “I was terrified, so he looked at me and kept going on, but I ran up to the house screaming.” “We’ve been here 22 years and never saw a bear,” said Phil Barrell. Moments earlier, the bear galloped across the backyard of a rest home before it climbed a tree then hopped a fence.

Source: Black bear spotted wandering around Worcester, Massachusetts: “I was terrified” – CBS Boston

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:28

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