Bear Attacks on the Rise in North and South Carolina
Beware of Bears in Your Area
The latest reported attacks and sightings have been in Chester, Cleveland, Lancaster, and York counties. Also 2 pet dogs in Asheville were attacked and killed as well as one that was attacked and injured.
According to the Observer and Biologist Jeffery Brooks from North Carolina Resource Commission the bears are hungry and searching for food. Mr. Brooks was quoted as saying "They're living off of garbage and birdfeed."
The animals that were injured and killed in Ashville belonged to Andrea Hunnicutt who had just let her beloved pets out on Tuesday night when 2 of the dogs were killed by a black bear in her yard. Her one dog named Ms. Wiggles survived the attack and is expected to survive her injures. Andrea Hunnicutt says that she "...heard a lot of barking and a commotion. When I got to the deck ... the bigger of the three was chasing a bear out of the yard. The one that had been attacked, she was shaking and when I went to pet her, she was wet. There was blood on her paw."
Mrs. Hunnicutt's husband reportedly saw a large black bear with 3 cubs fleeing their yard. The birdfeeder theory from Biologist Jeffery Brooks was enough to convince the Hunnicuts to remove birdfeeders from their yards. They have also placed orders for bear proof mechanisms for their trash cans.
According to a website titled Bear Facts if you see a bear there are things you can do to protect yourself from danger. Let the bear know that you are human, wave your arms and talk to the bear in a normal voice. Do not run from a bear, they will give chase if you decide to run from them. Bears are known to run at least 35 miles per hour, so the chances that you can out run them is very slim. If you are actually attacked by a bear, play dead, fall to the ground and make yourself as limp as possible. If you roll into a ball or lie on your stomach the bear will no longer feel threatened and will release. If the animal continues the attack then fight the bear with whatever is available to free yourself.
Published by WriteOnMom
Write On Mom is a mother, wife, and writer living in the mountains of North Carolina with her family. View profile
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9 Comments
Post a CommentTell the dummy who complaigned about the lady's dog being mauled that the bears were in her YARD, the dogs were defending THEIR territory. The encounter was accidental, bears are dangerous, hope he meets one soon!
I have never seen a bear myself but plenty of tracks where have come through my camps at night in NC. A friend of mine recently took a photo of a bear crossing a road near Boone NC in broad daylight.
Amy, Smart move. NO BIRDFEEDERS, NO GARBAGE = NO BEARS. They have no reason to stop at your house even if the neighbors are feeding it. They will go to the neighbors.But why not enjoy these animals? There is nothing to fear. Go to your nearest park and find out what instructional programs they offer.Get a DVD copy of Lynne Rogers " The Man Who Walks With Bears" probably available at your local library. You have a greater chance of being struck by lightning then being seriously injured by a dumpster bear.I SPEND HOURS ON END IN MY LOCAL PARKS TRYING TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THES MARVELOUS CREATURES and they run off before I can click my camera.
How do you call this a bear attack?It was actually the bear's cubs that were attacked by three dogs.The bear had the audacity to defend its own cubs. Is it a vicious bear because it didn't let the ladys dogs rip up her cubs? Walk the dog on a leash at night the exercise will do you good.To those people who talk about "Crazies" that feed bears but have bird feeders : If you feed birds you are feeding bears & deer. Don't be surprised if they show up. Don't ever play "Dead " with a Black Bear stand tall, make noise, and talk to him in a reassuring voice. They are afraid of you. If they run at you , its usually a bluff. They will stop in front of you.There is nothing "Scary"about black bears if you take time to learn. You're more likely to be hurt in a vehicle accident yet we don't shudder in fear everytime we drive to the mall.Back bears have killed less that 60 people in the last 100 years. There were 1000 homocides in New York City lAST YEAR ALONE other people are far more dangerous.
scarry i cant beleive this kind of stuff happens like im oneley 12 and in the past 12 years over 190 poeple have died cus of bears and other animals
I live in Fort Mill S.C. ..this is scary stuff...very informative info!!!..
My family lives in the mountains of New Hampshire and bears are a very common site up there. We saw them walking across the lawn in the early mornings as kids, but we always knew not to go outside until they were gone. If you see a big bear with babies, stay away from it as much as possible. She will be more likely to assume you are trying to hurt one of her cubs. My cousin heard a noise one morning by the garbage cans and came face to face with an a black bear. She screamed and waved her arms not knowing what to do in that situation and the bear ran off.
We have seen a couple as well. We live next to the TN line and about 20 minutes from the Virginia line so when I read the news in the observer I thought I would put the info out here too.
I try not to leave stuff out like that either, although I admit that I do have some birdfood on my deck. May need to change that =)
Great article! I live in Western NC in the highest part of the mountains and there have been bears in our yard. It is scary, but that's what happens when people live in the mountains. I'm not sure why they were in the area though, because I don't put garbage outside or have bird feeders. But, I'm not sure what my neighbors may be doing.