The black bear is kind of like the mascot for the Smokies, you see black bears on everything you can buy or rent. If you visit the park there is a very good chance you will encounter one. There are many places because they are literally all over the place.
One common location is Cades Cove. Allow hours time for this excursion, maybe more if you plan on doing a bit of exploring or having a picnic perhaps. I was staying at a Lodge just about a mile off of the Gatlinburg strip last month and saw a young male black bear right outside our room in the creek.
Every time we looked off of our balcony there he was. See the picture below. He was obviously begging for food, someone must have been dropping him snacks. Feeding bears in the Smokies by the way is a big no-no and illegal. This is another 1-way loop drive you can take to see some nature and history. There are many old cabins and historical type sites you can see.
Also, you can find Rainbow Falls here which is a really popular waterfall. So pack accordingly. Another place to see a bear is Ober Gatlinburg. Males may weigh around lbs in the summertime, but can double their weight in the fall when they are fattening up for winter. While seeing a bear is a wonderful experience please follow these precautions to protect your family as well as the bears. Never approach bears. Do not feed or place food to attract bears. Do not leave grills or picnic tables unattended.
Only place trash in animal resistant cans or dumpsters. Do not leave food in your car or in coolers outside the cabin. If you see a bear Slowly back away from the bear Bring children and pets indoors Make sure the bear is aware of your presence by yelling and making noises to frighten the bear and encourage it to leave.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States where black bears can live in wild, natural surroundings. Bears inhabit all elevations of the park. Though populations are variable, biologists estimate that roughly 1, bears live in the park.
This equals a population density of approximately two bears per square mile. However, loss of habitat has resulted in a significant reduction in this range. Black bears in the Smokies are black in color, but in other parts of the country they may be brown or cinnamon. This insect defoliates oak trees, weakening them and leaving them susceptible to other insects and diseases which may kill the trees.
Not only could bear's food source of acorns be affected, but some of the prime denning spots in old growth trees may be lost. Poaching: Unfortunately, the lure of high profits on international markets encourages the poaching of black bears. Several cultures believe that bear gall bladders, paws, and claws have medicinal powers or consider them gourmet delicacies. Urban Encroachment: Community and private developments near park boundaries are causing a loss in habitat for the bears.
Poaching activities can be somewhat curtailed, and bear populations can eventually rebound from the losses. But once the critical habitats are destroyed, major declines in bear populations are inevitable.
In addition, bears that venture outside park boundaries into neighboring communities may encounter human food and become unpredictable, dangerous, and a threat to human safety. Explore This Park. Info Alerts Maps Calendar Reserve. Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. Black Bears. Attacks on humans are rare. If you are physically attacked by a black bear, fight back aggressively with any available object--the bear may consider you as prey!
Do not "play dead. Keep your distance from bears. If you see 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.
Being too close may promote aggressive behavior from 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. If a bear persistently follows or approaches you, without vocalizing, or paw swatting: Change your direction. If the bear continues to follow you, stand your ground. If the bear gets closer, talk loudly or shout at it. Act aggressively to intimidate the bear. Act together as a group if you have companions. Make yourselves look as large as possible for example, move to higher ground. Throw non-food objects such as rocks at the bear. Use a deterrent such as a stout stick.
They have been called a charismatic mega-fauna and for good reason — everyone from non-hunters, to hunters, to wildlife watchers - we all love bears in our own special ways. Nationwide bear management experience has clearly shown that bears attracted to human food sources, or that are deliberately fed by humans, have a relatively short life. The survival rate of bears receiving food from people is likely a fraction of that of wild bears that do not have repeated contact with humans.
The deliberate and accidental feeding of bears is socially irresponsible and causes animals to become conditioned and habituated to people.
Bears that habituate to human presence eventually become a threat to human safety. The primary corrective action to this management dilemma is to simply restrict the access bears have to human foods. However, state and federal agencies have confronted significant challenges in bringing about even moderate changes to human behavior to achieve greater safety for humans and bears. The wise stewardship of habitat we share with bears is the joint responsibility of both wildlife managers and the public and will be essential for a viable future for our state treasure, the black bears of Tennessee.
Encountering Black Bears. To learn about what to do when encountering a bear while Hiking and Camping visit, bearwise. Following these simple guidelines will minimize many unnecessary and potentially dangerous encounters. Find the appropriate TWRA office to contact in your area by clicking here. As bear and human populations increase and more people move near public lands and bear inhabited areas, bear-human interactions are increasing creating potentially dangerous situations.
To learn more about coexisting with bears, go to the Bear Wise Website. You can also help prevent safety concerns by following these Bear Wise Basics:.
As it stands, other than hunting over baited areas, there are no statewide laws against the intentional or unintentional feeding of wildlife including bears. Native Americans utilized bears not only for meat and fat, but also for their heavy hides. The first explorers and settlers in Tennessee similarly harvested bears. However, settlers also feared bears and saw them as a threat to livestock and human safety.
The healthy bear populations that ranged from the bottomlands of West Tennessee to the mountains of East Tennessee began a slow decline soon after settlers arrived. In addition, laws were created with the establishment of the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission in The Tennessee Game and Fish Commission closed the bear hunting season from through with hope that the population would rebound.
When the season resumed in , only 16 bears were harvested; 14 of which were killed on the Tellico Wildlife Management Area. Even with the hunting season closure, it was obvious that more extensive management was needed.
A report from the Eastern Workshop on Black Bear Management reported black bear remained in only 10 counties. With the realization that the bear population was a shared resource with the states of North Carolina and Georgia, a multi-state collaboration was needed. From this study a committee was developed to create a venue to share management and research information among government and research institutions.
Decisions made by this group played a pivotal role in the regional bear management success we realize today. Both became a priority for TWRA over the next four decades. The first included the need to reduce illegal kills. TWRA Wildlife officers spent, and still spend, countless hours working bear enforcement. Called Operation Smokey, it resulted in the arrest of 43 individuals in Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina, with a combined state and federal violations involving the poaching and selling of bear parts.
These efforts have continued and resulted in a steady decline in poaching. The second issue defined by the Tri-State Black Bear Study was to protect the female segment of the bear populations. Because females hibernate earlier than males, this was accomplished simply by moving hunting season later in the year. Further protection of females was accomplished by the establishment of bear sanctuaries, which provided source populations of breeding females in areas with quality bear habitat, suitable for raising young.
In addition, no bear hunting, dog training or raccoon hunting is allowed in the reserves during bear seasons. Including the Great Smoky Mountain National Park , acres where hunting is prohibited, the reserves contain a total of , acres in Tennessee.
Black bear in Tennessee are primarily black with a straight, brown snout. However other color phases including brown, cinnamon and rust have been noted in the Eastern United States. White patches on the chest can also be present. Adult bears can be three feet tall at the shoulder and six feet in length. Black bears vary greatly in weight, depending on food availability and time of year. Weights range between to pounds for adults. Females are generally smaller. The back end of a black bear is normally taller than the front and black bears do not have a hump at the shoulder, like their cousin the grizzly bear.
Black bears have average eyesight, fantastic hearing and an amazing sense of smell. Thought to be one of the best noses in the animal kingdom, their smell is times greater than our own and seven times greater than a bloodhound.
Although cumbersome looking, bears are great swimmers and capable of running at burst of 30 miles an hour. Black bear are very dexterous and strong. They have been seen unscrewing lids of jars and easily tearing open metal containers to reach food.
Black bears are considered crepuscular animals. That is, they are most active at dawn and dusk; although they can be active any time in areas where humans are less common.
Bears bed down on the hottest of days, in cooler safe locations. Healthy, normal bears avoid humans and areas around human dwellings. Black bears use a variety of places to den including hollow trees, under boulders, tree roots and fallen trees.
Occurrences of denning in shallow depressions have also been documented. Denning starts as early as November and ends as late as May. Females tend to begin hibernation earlier than males. In years of high mast production, bears can enter dens later. Bears do not eat, urinate or defecate during hibernation. They also reduce their heart rate and breathing. Although listed as a carnivore, black bears are primarily omnivorous feeding on seasonally abundant foods. Bear diets include berries, fruits, nuts, insects, roots, grasses, small rodents, bird eggs and carrion.
Acorns comprise much of and are a significant food source in the late season diet of black bears in Tennessee. Bears, like many other wild animals, are opportunistic and look for effortless calories.
They easily become habituated to human food. Both male and female bears reach sexual maturity around three and a half years of age.
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