I live in black bear country, so these pages have a special significance for me. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just a stone's throw from here and we have black bears, even mother bears with cubs, climbing up to our deck that is a towering 22-feet off the ground. The dry months have not been good to the bears this year, leaving them hungry for berries that are no longer there. Consequently, they are migrating from remote forest outposts to mountain-top residences - even city scapes - looking for food. I wanted to learn what I could do, if anything, to help my forest friends. These pages are a way for me to share that information with you.

If you learn nothing else from these pages, you need to know this: DO NOT FEED THE BEARS, and DO NOT LET THEM ACCESS YOUR GARBAGE CANS. In short, A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR!

I have culled physical and behavioral information about Ursus americanus from black bear experts in North America, and have summarized that information for you below in quick reference format in the right-hand column. The left-hand column offers more in-depth background material about black bears, all of it interesting and insightful, and critical to their survival.

Do you know what to do if you should meet up with a bear while hiking? You will find important tips and advisories here, and a whole lot more! ~Dr. Ellen