ASHEVILLE, N.C. — State wildlife authorities are tracking an adult female black bear with plans to euthanize it after the animal broke into a home and injured a resident Tuesday night.
The incident occurred in Buncombe County when the resident encountered the bear inside her house. The woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries as the bear attempted to flee the building, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). The victim was treated at a local hospital and has since been released to recover at home.
Witnesses told investigators the bear showed clear signs of being habituated to humans, aggressively seeking out human-provided food and demonstrating no fear of people.
“From our active investigation, the victim was not intentionally feeding the bear, but it had repeated access to pet food inside the home through an unlocked door and unsecured trash outside,” Jenna Malzahn, an NCWRC black bear biologist, said in a statement.
Because the bear has a history of entering the home and poses an immediate threat to human safety, wildlife officials are actively working to capture and humanely dispatch the animal. Traps are also being set to capture her cubs. Biologists will assess the cubs to determine if they are old enough to survive independently in an undeveloped area.
Commission officials noted they do not relocate adult bears because it simply transfers dangerous, learned behaviors to new communities.
The agency is urging mountain residents to strictly lock all doors and windows, warning that standard window screens cannot stop a determined bear. Officials also advised securing trash bins, storing pet food indoors, and removing bird feeders ahead of the fall season, when bears naturally increase their food intake to prepare for winter.
Anyone experiencing problematic bear activity is asked to contact the N.C. Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401.
Learn more about how to keep bears out at BearWise.org.
