State wildlife officials are reminding people to avoid an encounter with a hungry bear.
Officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said black bears increase the amount of food they eat in late summer through fall, to prepare for the colder months when natural food is less available. It’s called hyperphagia and it means “extreme appetite.”
Black Bear Biologist Jenna Malzahn said, “In late summer through fall, black bears are consuming a variety of hard and soft mast species, from acorns and hickory nuts to pokeberry, cherry, grapes and black gum,” said. “They’ll also take advantage of agricultural crops, such as soybeans and standing corn, as well as bird feeders and unsecured garbage and compost.”
During hyperphagia, black bears travel extensively, sometimes beyond their home ranges, to search for food for up to 20 hours per day. This results in more chances for humans and bears to come in close proximity with each other.
With this level of food consumption, which can last through early winter, bears can put on 3 pounds per day and gain anywhere from 20% to close to 100% of their summer weight!
Bears are typically most active at dawn and dusk. Steps to avoid a vehicle collision with a bear or any wildlife include:
- If driving with a passenger, put them on wildlife watch.
- Always drive at a reasonable speed and follow the speed limit.
- At night, consider driving below the speed limit to give yourself more stopping time and scan the sides of the road for eyeshine at night.
- Pay extra attention in areas where bushes and trees are close to the road.
- Most insurance companies advise that if you see an animal in the road, honk your horn repeatedly, flash your high beams and try to avoid it if you can do so safely. Do not swerve into another lane or slam on your brakes unless you know you can do so safely.
NCWRC suggests residents secure their property now to avoid bears denning there. Bearwise.org offers instructions to prevent denning in crawlspaces, or under porches and decks. Bears have been known to den and give birth under bushes and brush piles, or piles of building materials, vacant buildings, garages, storage sheds or vacation homes that are vacant over the winter.
“Even in warmer climates, such as our state, a bear’s biological clock will still activate this fall feeding frenzy, even for those bears that hibernate briefly or not at all, as natural food scarcity in winter months, not temperatures, has been a key driver for activating the hyperphagia and hibernation process,” said Game Mammals and Surveys Supervisor Colleen Olfenbuttel. “Even bears that won’t den until January or February still look for food practically around the clock and eat as much as they can find. However, in areas where bears have found dependable year-round supplies of human-provided foods, they may not hibernate at all but will eat as if they are going to.”
Contact the N.C. Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401 Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or your local district wildlife biologist for questions or to report information about a bear incident.
