Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — If you are visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, please leave the wildlife alone and keep your distance.
It's a message that bears repeating every few months because the park said some visitors repeat the mistake and mess with the bears.
Bear activity increases in autumn as they try to bulk up for winter. There's even a fair chance you might spot a bear while driving in the park, but if you see one: Don't get out of your vehicle to get a closer look. Leave the bears alone.
"If you come across a bear, you want to make sure that you're giving that animal plenty of space and an escape route. You can certainly enjoy seeing that animal, but you do not want to pester that animal and you don't want to go closer to that animal," said Janelle Musser, a black bear support biologist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
It's not just bad manners to stop your car and potentially block other drivers trying to enjoy a day in the mountains, it's potentially dangerous for you and the bear.
Black bears can be docile, but they are still dangerous and unpredictable wild animals. You should never approach a bear, and it's illegal in the park to willfully come within any distance that disturbs one.
If you see a bear and want to observe it or take pictures -- you should do so by putting plenty of distance between you and the bear so you don't disturb them or socialize them. The GSMNP asks you to use binoculars, a telephoto lens, or a spotting scope to view the animals.
Most of all, you should never feed the bears. A fed bear is a dead bear because a bear that becomes comfortable with approaching people can lead to dangerous habits that would warrant relocation or euthanization.
Below are six tips to stay BearWise:
- Stay alert and stay together
- Leave no trash or food scraps
- Keep dogs leashed
- Camp safely, away from dense cover and natural food sources
- Do not approach bears if you see one
- Carry bear spray and learn how to use it