GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – In just the past week, there have been three reports of visitors intentionally feeding the black bears at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In one case, the NPS says a visitor was seen feeding a mother bear and her two cubs at Maloney Point.
Now, the most visited national park in the country is issuing an urgent reminder to everyone: don’t feed or approach the bears!
“Bears learn quickly,” said the National Park Service. “Feeding a bear even once can result in that bear becoming conditioned to human food, losing its natural fear of humans. A food conditioned bear is more likely to be hit by a car as it seeks out human food and may exhibit more aggressive behavior toward visitors.”
Feeding wildlife in the park is a federal offense with fines up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to six months. The visitor who fed the mother bear and cubs was issued a citation by park rangers.
There are about 1,900 black bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With about 12 million visitors each year, that means there will be encounters. To keep bears and humans safe, remember these safety guidelines:
↟ Never feed or approach bears
↟ Store food and trash securely
↟ Leave pets at home (only two trails allow dogs in the park)
↟ Hike in groups and consider carrying bear spray
↟ Report violations and unusual bear behavior to the NPS
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