ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Black bears naturally thrive in heavily forested environments with dense vegetation and access to water. But as construction expands into those areas, their habitats are being disrupted and, in many cases, reduced.
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“Their habitat kind of needs to be a wide range of different elements and complexities, which our mountains provide,” WNC Nature Center’s Animal Wellness Coordinator Chesley Hollander said of bears.
As more roads and homes are built, bears are increasingly pushed closer to humans.
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“We are unfortunately their biggest predators, and that’s because we are driving around in their habitats, we’re developing in their homes and trees,” Hollander added.
At the same time, North Carolina’s black bear population has grown significantly — more than quadrupling over the past two decades to an estimated 20,000 bears statewide. With shrinking habitats and a growing population, sightings in urban areas are becoming more common.
While experts say that it is impossible to stop all development, there are other ways to support bear populations in western North Carolina.
“Accommodating for the natural space, allowing for the forest areas to happen, providing natural forging options for them in landscaping, things like that,” Hollander said.
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Custom home builder Brian Sineath, owner of Sineath Construction, says certain communities have implemented rules to limit human interactions with the bears.
“Some communities you have to keep the dumpsters covered, or signage up that’s saying no food trash, and we try to police that very closely,” Sineath added.
Sineath says preserving natural vegetation during construction is also a priority for him.
“We use native trees. You know, if there’s wildlife corridors, we want to protect those. Try to leave as much buffer around the streams, and around those pathways as we can,” he said.
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