WHITEVILLE, N.C. (WECT) – Video shows a bear in a tree near a Whiteville home as North Carolina wildlife officials warn that bears are especially active while preparing for winter.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is urging residents to secure food and other items that could attract bears.
In late summer and fall, bears enter a period called hyperphagia, when they eat more to build up fat for winter, as natural food becomes less available. During this time, they may search for food for up to 20 hours a day, increasing the chances of encounters with people, the commission says.
“During the hyperphagia phase, black bears increase their daily calories from 2,000 to 3,500 calories in spring and summer to approximately 15,000 to 20,000 calories a day,” said Jenna Malzahn, a black bear biologist with the commission. “To put this into perspective, 20,000 calories is equivalent to 9 pounds of acorns, 70 pounds of wild cherries, or just one typical birdfeeder that can hold 7 pounds of black oil sunflower seeds.”
Bears eat natural foods such as acorns, hickory nuts, pokeberries, cherries, grapes and black gum. They also may seek out bird feeders, outdoor pet food, garbage, compost and crops such as soybeans and standing corn. Bears can gain up to 3 pounds a day during this period and increase their summer weight by 20% to 100%, the commission says.
Repeated access to human-provided food can cause bears to return to residential areas in search of easy meals. The commission says it receives more reports of bears in public and residential areas, woods and roadways during this time of year.
Residents can reduce the risk of encounters by securing anything that could attract a bear and keeping it out of sight, smell and reach. The commission also recommends staying alert when driving or walking at night, checking the yard before letting pets outside, and learning what to do if you encounter a bear.
Bears often find dens by mid-December, said Ashley Hobbs, the commission’s statewide BearWise coordinator. But bears with a steady supply of human-provided food may not need to den, she said.
“All the extra fat bears build up during hyperphagia allows them to ride out the winter months when natural food becomes scarce,” Hobbs said. “Most bears in our state will find a den by mid-December, however, if bears have a consistent human-provided food supply during the winter months, like bird seed and garbage, they may not need to den at all since their food supply is never scarce. Bears will continue their search for food all year as long as it’s available. It’s important to take extra care to remove human-provided food sources in the fall and shore up any potential den sites around your home, like crawlspaces and decks.”
Bears have been known to den and give birth under porches, decks, buildings, garages, storage sheds and vacant homes, as well as in brush piles and beneath bushes.
For questions or to report a bear incident, call the N.C. Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or contact a local district wildlife biologist. BearWise.org also has information on what to do during a bear encounter.
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