Helene victims face another worry: Bears

ASHEVILLE, N.C. ‒ Bear-human conflict may increase in Western North Carolina following Tropical Storm Helene, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is warning.

Colleen Olfenbuttel, a black bear biologist for the NCWRC said that though there had been no reports of bear attacks as of Friday, an increase in reports of bear sightings led the commission to issue the warning in an attempt to avoid potential problems.

"We do have concerns that, with the number of damaged homes, it provides a lot of opportunity for bears to gain easy access to homes," Olfenbuttel told the Asheville Citizen Times ‒ part of the USA TODAY Network.

Did any bears die in Helene?

Olfenbuttel said there had been only one report to the NCWRC of a bear possibly injured in the storm, and none of bear deaths. She added that's likely in part due to their natural instincts.

"Compared to other wildlife, bears are remarkably adaptive to a whole host of conditions, including storms like this," she said. "Even though they don't have TVs or radios like us, they are wild animals that kind of can sense when a storm is coming, and they know to take shelter. We've received videos of bears going up in trees to escape floodwaters and to ride out the storm, which is kind of their natural behavior."

The recent warning from the NCWRC also said that bears are not experiencing a shortage of natural food sources in the wake of Helene and, as always, should under no circumstances be offered food.

Sewage problems may attract bears

Olfenbuttel said the rumor that black bears may be attracted to human feces left outdoors during water outages and issues with sewage systems in WNC could have some basis in reality.

"We certainly know that one component of trash that can attract certain bears — not all bears necessarily, you know; bears have sometimes have individual tastes just like us — but we do know certain bears, boy, when they find trash with a dirty diaper, they love it," she said.

But avoiding attracting bears with makeshift outdoor toilets is likely easier than avoiding attracting bears with garbage and food. Olfenbuttel said her advice is the same she would give regardless of bear activity.

"If you're having to use the bathroom outside, if it's possible, use a shovel, make a hole in the ground, use it, and then put the TP in there and cover it with dirt. And doing that will go a long ways in assuring that it doesn't become attractive," she said.

How to stay safe from bears

BearWise, a consortium of bear biologists including the NCWRC, offers this advice:

• Keep windows and doors closed and latched if bears are observed in your area. If you are unable to secure them due to damage, consider setting out an "unwelcome mat" made of plywood and nails.
• If you have an outdoor refrigerator or freezer, consider installing a padlock on the door to keep bears from accessing any food inside.
• Secure food, garbage and recycling. This may be more difficult with many trash services suspended in areas of WNC. The NCWRC recommends making every effort to store garbage in a bear-resistant structure, such as a shed, garage or home until it can be collected.
• Add bear-resistant measures to your trashcans using instructions from BearWise at bearwise.org under the heading "Keep Bears Out."

If you need to report bear behavior and activity, contact the NC Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401 or HWI@ncwildlife.org.

See the full NCWRC news release on the agency's blog at ncwildlife.org/blog/2024.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.