NORTH CAROLINA - Over 20,000 black bears are living in North Carolina; of those, roughly 1,500 reside in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. North Carolina's successful reintroduction of black bears represents one of the nation's greatest conservation success stories - they had nearly been hunted to near-extinction upon European settlement due to early settlers killing bears to protect themselves, crops, and livestock while clearing land for farming and development - plus 1920s American Chestnut Blight decimated their crucial food source further reducing populations further!
Over 20,000 Black Bears Are Living In North Carolina
Today, several factors have combined to make eastern North Carolina one of the best environments for black bears in America. Mild winters allow bears to forage throughout the year while long growing seasons help them gain weight quickly; under ideal conditions, a young male bear could gain up to 100 pounds annually!
North Carolina's omnivorous bears can be found thriving in forests, mountains, and coastal swamps of North Carolina. They feed on various plant and animal life, such as acorns, berries, frogs, insects, carrion, grass, nuts, grubs, and peanuts. Bears tend to be most active at dawn and dusk before retreating for rest during the day's heat in calmer and safer locations.
Wildlife Resources Commission encourages people to coexist safely with bears by following six BearWise Basics developed by Southeastern wildlife agencies and designed by themselves. The goal is for bears and people to coexist peacefully in urban interface areas.
