In downtown Asheville, North Carolina, people were in for a surprise when they spotted a young black bear roaming the streets near City Hall.
The cub ran off the sidewalk near the Buncombe County Family Justice Center, jumped over a fence and into the parking lot behind the Renaissance Asheville Hotel.
At that time, the bear noticed two visitors to the area: Adam and Carol Lamberski.
They were about to leave for the Sierra Nevada Brewery when the young bear walked past the open driver’s side door of Adam Lamberski’s car.
Before reaching the door, one of the bystanders shouted, “There’s a bear!”
Adam Lamberski closed the door and the puppy ran out of the car, frightened by the sound.
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“I expected to see this in Pennsylvania, not Asheville!” Adam Lamberski said of the experience.
The Lamberskis were visiting from New Jersey, their first trip to Asheville. The man said it was definitely unexpected.
“It’s still a little scary, they’re still a little scary,” he said. “I think he probably weighed 125 pounds.”
Carol Lamberski tried to find the right number to report the bear cub but was unable to call before the bear was gone.
“I’m worried about him,” Carol Lamberski said.
After calling the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission after seeing the bear, the Citizen Times confirmed that local wildlife authorities were notified about the bear.
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Bears are not uncommon in downtown Asheville
It’s not uncommon to see bears in downtown Asheville.
Statewide, the Wildlife Commission estimates a bear population of 20,000, with 8,000 to 9,000 living in the mountains of Western North Carolina. According to biologists, the population in the mountains continues to grow by 3-5% every year.
Last month, the Citizen Times spoke with Ashley Hobbs, Special Projects Biologist at the state wildlife commission, about the increasing number of bear sightings in the Asheville area.
Hobbs told the Citizen Times on Sept. 29 that Asheville has a high density of bears, and the population acts as a source for surrounding populations.
Regarding generation cycles, Hobbs said bears born in Asheville tend to establish territories in surrounding areas as adults.
Hobbs said it’s difficult to determine exactly how many bears are in Asheville because they travel out of town at different times of the year. But he said the region’s bear population has plenty of natural resources.
However, he cautioned that black bears, as opportunistic omnivores, require different forest types and ages like those in the region. Hobbs said it’s important to prevent these forests from being fragmented by development so the bears can safely travel from one resource to another without the risk of being hit by vehicles or encountering intolerant humans.
BearWise is a national educational program developed by bear biologists and employed by the NC Wildlife Commission. Hobbs said he follows six BearWise Principles to keep bears wild and encourage them to use natural food resources. These include:
- Never feed or approach a bear.
- Provide food, trash and recycling.
- Remove bird feeders when bears are active.
- Never leave pet food outdoors.
- Clean and store grills.
- Warn neighbors against activity.
For instructions on how to use bear spray and more tips on managing black bear encounters, visit bearwise.org.
Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Have a clue? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.
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