The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wants residents to lock up food and anything else that draws bears, since the animals are getting ready for winter. The warning came after video showed a bear up a tree near a Whiteville home.
Late summer and fall bring a stretch called hyperphagia. Bears eat far more than usual to pack on fat for the cold months, because natural food gets scarce. They may hunt for food up to 20 hours a day, according to WECT.
Reports of bears in towns, neighborhoods, woods, and on roads rise this time of year, the commission says. A bear can gain up to 3 pounds a day. Over the season, it can add 20% to 100% to its summer weight.
“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, per a release from NC Wildlife. “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.”
In the wild, bears eat acorns, hickory nuts, pokeberries, cherries, grapes, and black gum fruit. They also seek food in bird feeders, outdoor pet bowls, garbage, compost, and crops such as soybeans and standing corn. Once a bear finds aan easy human-provided food source, it often comes back for more.
You can cut the risk of a close call. Keep anything that might attract a bear out of sight, smell, and reach. The commission also asks people to stay alert when they drive or walk at night, and to check the yard before letting pets out.
Bears often settle into dens by mid-December, said Ashley Hobbs, the commission’s statewide BearWise coordinator. A bear with a steady supply of food from people may skip denning altogether.
“All the extra fat bears build up during hyperphagia allows them to ride out the winter months when natural food becomes scarce,” Hobbs said, per WECT. “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 in empty homes. Brush piles and the space under bushes work for them too.
Have a question or need to report a bear incident? Call the N.C. Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also reach out to a local district wildlife biologist. BearWise.org lists steps to take during a bear encounter.
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