The shooting and killing of a black bear at the Piedmont Triad International Airport this week prompted a lot of questions about the NC Wildlife Commission’s bear policy. Specifically, under what circumstances are bears trapped, euthanized (i.e., killed), or left to roam.
It is important to keep in mind that it was not a wildlife officer who shot the bear in the first instance. It was an airport worker.
Nevertheless, the folks over at the Wildlife Commission have issued a press release clarifying the bear policy and listing some helpful tips on dealing with bears. The press release appears below.
With a rash of media reports of bear sightings across North Carolina, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is reminding residents not to panic, keep their distance and remain calm if they see a black bear.
It is not uncommon to see a black bear in spring in North Carolina, as they look for mates, a home or food. Juvenile bears typically disperse from their home areas during this time of year, while adult bears can roam extensively searching for food. Residents are urged not to approach or follow bears, and to use caution when driving in areas where bears have been sighted.
The Commission is cautioning people to take care not to feed bears that wander into yards, parks, onto sidewalks or into other residential areas. Feeding a bear rewards it for coming near people and their homes and increases the likelihood that the bear will approach again.
While black bears are rarely aggressive toward people, they can become bold when they grow accustomed to feeding on human-provided foods, such as pet foods, garbage and bird seed. When this happens, black bears can lose their fear of humans.
Contrary to popular belief, commission employees do not trap and relocate nuisance bears for the following reasons:
Most conflicts do not warrant trapping. For example, a bear simply wandering into a suburban area is not necessarily a safety issue. Bears can move long distances during dispersal, and it’s likely the animal will move on if left alone.
If a bear’s behavior is escalating to bold and threatening behavior towards people, commission staff will euthanize the bear.
The following are examples of threatening behavior:
Examples of bear behavior that is not threatening:
Residents can avoid problems by:
