Black Bear Sighting In Huntersville: What To Do If You See One

HUNTERSVILLE, NC — A black bear was spotted Thursday morning in Huntersville, according to police.

The bear sighting was in the area of Northcross Drive and Bridgeford Lane.

“Please ensure your trash is away and pet food is not left out,” Huntersville Police Department said in a social media post. “Please DO NOT approach the bear.”

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Bear sightings are up in other parts of the Tar Heel state, with one recently spotted wandering along a beach on the Outer Banks.

Bears are adaptable, and their populations are growing as their range is expanding throughout the state, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

According to Our State magazine, bears call at least 60 percent of the Tar Heel state home and for years have been making a comeback along the coast in swamp forests. "In fact, the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula has one of the densest black bear populations on earth," the magazine said.

Here’s what the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission advises to prevent bear conflicts:

• Do not feed bears — Feeding bears rewards them for coming into residential areas. Bears feeding on unnatural food sources around your home may lose their fear of humans and will be more likely to approach people – a situation that rarely ends well for the bear and could have potential safety issues for humans as well!
• Remove or secure all potential food sources — Store garbage inside buildings or other areas that bears cannot get to. If the area is served by a garbage collection service, place garbage and recyclables out only during the day of collection. Purchase bear-proof garbage cans or bear-proof your existing garbage container by outfitting it with a secure latching system.
• Do not leave pet foods out overnight — If pets are fed outside remove any excess food after the animals have finished eating. Never store pet food on a porch or in an open garage where a bear can get to it.
• Clean outdoor grills — After you use an outdoor grill clean it thoroughly and make sure that all grease and fat residues are removed.
• Compost piles attract bears — Although there usually isn’t much food available in a compost pile the odor is enough to draw the interest of a curious bear. Avoid putting pasta or oils in a compost pile.
• Remove bird feeders and hummingbird feeders if bears are in area — Do not hang bird feeders from your house or deck. Suspend feeder from a free-hanging wire away from your home, making sure it is at least 10 feet off the ground and at least 10 feet away from the trunk of a tree. Bring bird feeders indoors at night.
• Make bird feeder inaccessible to bears.
• Alert neighbors of the bear and ensure that no one is intentionally or unintentionally feeding black bears. One person feeding bears can create a problem bear that may affect the entire neighborhood.
• Repellents — There are no repellents that are registered for use on bears. Some have found that sprinkling ammonia or other strong disinfectants on garbage can mask the odor of food.
• Exclusion — Make sure dumpsters are bolted and locked and chain down heavy metal garbage cans and secure the lids. Wood or plastic dumpster lids do not keep bears out. Replace these with metal lids that can be locked and make sure sliding side doors can be latched so only humans can open them. Fencing in dumpsters or garbage collection areas can be very effective. A chain link fence with a barbwire overhang can work well. An electric fence powered with a high voltage, low impedance charger can exclude bears; however, this should only be done if safety precautions can be implemented to protect children and adults. There are several electric fence designs which can be provided by the local district biologist if this is deemed appropriate.
• Frightening or scaring the bear — Shouting, clapping, blasting a car horn or motion ­sensitive lights may scare off a bear temporarily. Do not taunt a bear if it fails to respond to your efforts to frighten it. These methods are only temporary solutions.
• Crowd Control — Sometimes when a bear sighted, crowds may gather. This seemingly harmless situation can be aggravated or became potentially harmful as the crowd grows. People can cause bears to display unpredictable behavior. Law enforcement personnel should disperse crowds and allow the bear to exit without interference.

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