Black bears are on the move this time of year, especially young males. These wanderings have led to an uptick in bear sightings in the greater Charlotte region — including recently in Statesville, Troutman and Gaston County.
Spring and early summer are when young bears leave their mothers and start searching for their own home. In bear territory, adult males can push younger males away, sending them into new places.
Black bear biologist Jenna Malzahn with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says this ursine wanderlust can lead them to more developed areas, like Mecklenburg County.
“With a lot of adolescent young animals and for humans too — that's when they're very curious and inquisitive and they don't know the rules of the land, so they may pop up in more unusual places,” she said.
Malzahn said if you see a bear, do not feed or approach it. Give it space, alert your neighbors and secure garbage and scraps.
