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APD Animal Services Unit Provides Tips for Being a ‘Bear Smart’ Community
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The Asheville Police Department’s Animal Services Unit is offering tips on how citizens can increase their safety around bears.
According to the N.C. Wildlife Department, the bear population in Western North Carolina has grown in recent years, along with the simultaneous encroachment of humans into bears’ natural habitats. The prolonged regional drought has also reduced the food supply for bears, which then leave their natural habitats to hunt for sustenance.
Here are some things you can do to manage this situation safely:
- DO NOT FEED BEARS.
- Eliminate food sources. Bears naturally investigate food odors. These odors can come from bird feeders, compost heaps and even grease from outdoor grills. And if bears find your garbage once, they will return. Keep grills and garbage cans indoors when not in use. As for bird feeders, remember that while taking them down at night may offer some relief, there is usually enough residual feed on the ground that will continue to attract bears. Many people get so much satisfaction from feeding birds that they are reluctant to remove feeders. Please keep in mind that it’s impossible to control which animals will be attracted and which animals will not.
- DO NOT LEAVE PETS OUT OR UNATTENDED AT NIGHT.
- Mother bears with cubs will become aggressive to protect their offspring from perceived threats. Your pet, regardless of its size or intention, may be perceived as such.
- KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.
- Humans who get too close may also be perceived as a threat. Don’t approach a bear for any reason.
The Animal Services Unit has a “Bear Smart Community” pamphlet that is available to citizens. To obtain one, call (828) 259-5872.
Additional information on bear safety is also available by calling the Wildlife Resources Commission at (919) 707-0060 or by pointing your browser to www.ncwildlife.org.
(Image provided by the Wildlife Commission.)
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