Fairview Forest: Wildlife On The Mountain

Wildlife... It's All Around You!

Among the wildlife seen on the Mountain are snakes, skunks, raccoons, squirrels, deer, coyotes, bobcats, wild turkeys, bats, owls... and yes, there are black bears in our midst.

Bears live in many North Carolina counties, and they are not usually dangerous unless humans feed or provoke them. Bears are often seen on the Mountain. There have been news reports in months past of a black bear roaming around downtown Asheville attracting an entourage of onlookers as it crossed Biltmore Avenue and stopped near a church to eat berries. Also this year, a bear was euthanized after biting a tourist in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

The bear population in North Carolina has exploded in the past few years, jumping from about 4,000 bears living on 2.5 million acres in 1971 to about 11,000 living on almost 10 million acres in 2004. Wildlife officers have received numerous bear complaints in Buncombe County this year, and the number of reports usually rises during the summer. The bear population is actually helped by growth in the human populated areas. As new homes and subdivisions are built, bears gain additional areas where hunting is not allowed. These neighborhoods are bear sanctuaries, including the city of Asheville. Bears can not be hunted in these areas. In these de facto sanctuaries, female bears are raising one to five cubs.

Unless a person is harmed, the the wildlife department will not act to catch or remove a bear.

Fact is that humans and bears can co-exist if residents take steps to keep the bears wild and prevent them from becoming a problem. Since the topic of "bears" comes up rather frequently in the community, we present the information below so that you can be more knowledgeable about these animals.

Meet the Black Bear

The black bear is the largest wild animal found in North Carolina. Black bears can run up to 30 miles per hour for short distances, climb easily and swim well. They are extremely agile for their size, sometimes standing erect to smell or see better. Bears communicate with various facial and body expressions. They also whine, snort,

roar, bawl and snap their teeth. They are near-sighted, but have a keen sense of smell. Bears vary in size, with adult males generally being larger and weighing 300 to 600 pounds. Adult females generally weigh 150 to 200 pounds. Bears have five clawed toes on each foot and teeth that enable them to eat almost anything, from ants to zinnias.

[Photo by former longtime resident Grant Goodge in 2006 along the top of the Mountain.]

The size of the home range of an individual black bear will vary with the concentration of high energy food sources. In general, females will have a home range which is 2 1/2 to 10 square miles while males will normally have a home range which is four times larger. The range of every adult bear is composed of an individual territory of which constitutes its exclusive domain while the rest it co-habits with other bears. The home range of a mature male bear will often overlap the home range of several female bears. Open areas are usually avoided by black bears as they prefer wooded cover. Stream and creek beds are often used as travel lanes because of the thick undergrowth and a barrier-free escape route; this is particularly true in built-up areas.

Myth: Black bears are dangerous to humans.
Fact: Black bears are usually non-agressive, shy creatures. They avoid humans unless provoked or attracted by human activities. Unprovoked black bear attacks are extremely rare.

Myth: It's okay to feed black bears.
Fact: Feeding bears can cause them to lose their fear of humans and become pests. Problem bears may eventually have to be destroyed.

Myth: Bears that act tame are safe.
Fact: Wild bears avoid humans. A tame bear has likely lost its fear of humans and is much more dangerous than a wild bear.

Myth: Bears cannot remember where they find food.
Fact: Bears remember food sources for years, and probably will return there. If bears find food in one of your storage areas, move it to a more secure location.

About 11,000 black bears live in North Carolina, and occupy more than 10 million acres, mainly in the mountains and along the coast. Sighting one of these glossy black animals is an electrifying experience. But having a bear raid your garbage is a nuisance. Humans and bears can live in the same territory if people take steps to keep bears wild and prevent them from becoming a problem.

When bears emerge from their winter sleep in March or April, they are very hungry. They will feed on almost anything including bird seed in feeders, grease on a backyard grill, or pet food. Do not feed them or allow them to eat garbage or anything other than wild foods. Bears are most likely to look for human food May through early July because wild foods are less plentiful. Bears prefer berries, nuts, insects, carrion and roots. When wild food is scarce, they may visit populated areas in search of food.

In North Carolina, black bears den in November or December. Dens can be hollow trees, rock crevices or piles of leaves on the ground. Black bears are not true hibernators. They enter a state of dormancy or deep sleep, during which their breathing is slowed, their heartbeat and body temperature are reduced. They do not eat, drink or excrete body wastes, but can be easily aroused and fully alert in minutes. June through August is breeding season for bears and during late summer and early fall, bears feed nearly constantly to fatten up for the winter.

If you see a bear... try to stay calm. Bears live in many North Carolina counties, and they are not usually dangerous unless humans feed or provoke them. The bear in your backyard may be dispersing through your area or searching for a mate. It will not stay in a settled area unless it finds food. Keep children nearby; keep pets locked up. Don't approach a bear. If it changes its natural behavior (feeding, foraging or movement) because of your presence, you are too close. Never surround or corner a bear. If you happen to meet a bear at close range, back away slowly and make lots of noise.

What do bears eat? Black bears are sometimes called carnivores (meat-eaters). In fact, for much of the year, they are herbivores (plant-eaters). Just like humans, they are omnivores (they eat both meat and plants). Black bears eat of wide variety of foods. In spring, when bears come out of their dens, there is not much food, so they will eat grasses, roots, insects, and road kill. In summer, they add mushrooms, and wild berries to their diet. In fall, bears may eat for 20 hours a day. They will eat acorns, hickory nuts, and insects, including bees and yellow jackets. Eating alot of food is important because they have to gain enough weight to survive while they hibernate. When natural food is hard to find, bears will sometimes search for food around peoples' homes; but, if people are careful to keep food, pet food, birdseed, and garbage stored where bears cannot smell them, the bears will stay away.

What to Do If You Meet A Black Bear

Every encounter with a black bear can be different. Bears should always be considered unpredictable and dangerous. More often than not, a wild bear will detect you first and flee from the area. However, black bears that have become accustomed to humans and their foods, may not run away. In these cases, certain precautions are offered for consideration:

♦ Do not run. Remain calm, continue facing the bear and slowly back away.
♦ Keep children and pets close at hand.
♦ Make lots of noise. Yell, rattle pots and pans, whistle and break sticks.
♦ Stand upright. Do not kneel or bend over. Wave arms, jackets or other materials.
♦ Never approach or corner a bear.
♦ Never offer food to a bear.
♦ Be aware of the presence of cubs and never come between a bear and its cubs.
♦ Fight back aggressively if a bear attacks you.

Do Black Bears Sleep or Hibernate In the Winter?

There is an ongoing debate whether black bears truly hibernate in the winter. Their metabolism does not slow down as much as that of groundhogs and other "true hibernators". Also, their body temperature may drop only 10-15 degrees and their heart rate doesn't slow as drastically. Some bears have been know to rouse immediately from their winter slumber, startling hikers and researchers.

On the other hand, some black bears sleep through the entire winter without so much as changing their position. "True hibernators" do stir regularly to eat and deposit bodily waste. The Western North Carolina Nature Center reports that the black bears in our area enter a state of dormancy or deep sleep.

During the late summer and autumn black bears go through a gluttonous period to prepare for their long winter sleep. A bear who would normally eat about 4,000 calories a day will consume as much as 20,000 calories and forage for as much as 20 hours daily.

Today most black bears nest on the ground or in caves, hollow trees or rock crevices. They generally make a nest of leaves and other forest litter. Some researchers believe this may be the result of timbering practices across the black bear's range. In the old-growth forests of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, black bears have shown a definite preference for nesting in trees. Bears have been found as high as 80 feet above ground in the Park.

In the above photo, taken in September 2009 here in Fairview Forest, a black bear climbed to the highest
limbs of a tree in search of acorns. The bear returned three different days breaking off branches in the same tree.

Living With Bears

Never feed bears or any wild animals, even if they look hungry or tame. Feeding bears teaches them to seek out human food and garbage. Bears that get used to human foods are much more dangerous than wild bears, and sometimes have to be killed. If a bear seems tame, stay well away. Take extra precautions not to feed bears accidentally — bears are attracted to garbage, food scraps, pet food and many other forms of human food. Keep such foods locked away from bears in strong, safe places.

Grills - Clean thoroughly and store in a secure area.

Garbare & Scraps - Store garbage in strong, secure buildings or metal, locking containers until pickup. Fence or secure compost, and stop adding compost for three or four weeks if a bear visits. Freeze meat scraps in plastic bags until pickup. Sprinkle lime or ammonia on garbage to reduce odor. Do not leave garbage out overnight!

Pets - Store all edibles, such as pet food, in airtight containers in a secure area (such as a basement). Feed pets indoors, providing only enough so that all food is eaten. Do not leave pet foods out overnight!

Bird Feeders - If bears visit your feeders, remove feeders for three or four weeks. If bears are persistent problems in the area, remove feeders, including hummingbird feeders from April through November.

Feeding Other Animals - Do not feed other wildlife. Feeding wildlife can spread disease and attract bears, especially April through November.

Excerpts from "Living in Black Bear Country", a Guide for Preventing Problems with Bears in North Carolina. Division of Wildlife Management, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Additional information links: WildWNC.org Animal Facts: Black Bear, Naturalist's Notes: Bears In Your Backyard

Living In the Animal Kingdom

In Fairview Forest, you're definitely not alone; there's wildlife everywhere. And, pictures always say it best.
These photos say it best, wildlife captured in photos by Barry and Mara Matz, Chestnut Forest Road.