Eight-mile stretch of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway is shut down after motorists flock to HUG and feed lone black bear cub
A bear cub caused chaos on North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway after curious motorists stopped to feed and cuddle the animal.
Blue Ridge Parkway officials have since decided to close an eight-mile stretch of the road Monday “until further notice.”
Officials said the parkway in the Ashville area will be closed between milepost 367.6 near the Craggy Picnic Area and milepost 375.6 at Ox Creek Road in an effort to protect the cub and park visitors.
Officials did not provide further explanation, but wild animals such as bears have previously been euthanized in other areas when they became too familiar with humans.
“If people deliberately lure bears with garbage and food, this can lead to very dangerous situations,” said Chief Inspector Tracy Swartout in a press release.
The National Park Service revealed that officials have received “several documented reports” in recent weeks of visitors attempting to feed and hold the baby bear at Lane Pinnacle Overlook.
The friendly baby black bear (pictured) has been spotted near the Blue Ridge Parkway for weeks as people have fed and tried to hold the cub
The curious cub checked out the people (photo) who came close to take pictures of them and feed the bear
The black bear approached the people on the other side of the wooden barrier in a friendly manner
The bear had a black body and brown snout, which is common among black bears
Some even went as far as trying to hug the young cub, but no photos of those hugs have been shared.
The black bear was seen walking along the wooden barrier between the road and the colorful foliage as bewildered visitors got close to the animal.
The cub eventually came off the edge, went onto the road and invited himself onto a man’s red Harley motorcycle.
A Facebook post from Ashville Untapped showed the bear taking “a few bites out” of the motorcycle’s seat.
It’s unclear what exactly people fed the friendly bear, but black bears are known to be omnivores that enjoy a mix of both vegetation and meat.
Officials decided to close the road to try to “allow the bear to lose interest in the area and visitors” before anyone was injured, including the cub.
According to North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commissionthe black bear is the only species found in the state and throughout the eastern US.
Although known to be completely black, the animal can sometimes vary in colors. Typical black bears have a brown snout, which covers the nose and mouth.
The National Park Service revealed that officials have received “several documented reports” in recent weeks of visitors attempting to feed and hold the baby bear at Lane Pinnacle Overlook.
North Carolina and most of the eastern US are home to black bears. Bears are known to gather vast amounts of food in the fall as they prepare for hibernation
The parkway in the Ashville area will be closed between milepost 367.6 near the Craggy Picnic Area and milepost 375.6 at Ox Creek Road in an effort to protect the cub and park visitors
Officials opted to close the section of road in an effort to prevent the cub and onlookers from crowding the area and endangering safety
In other cases, the bear may also have a white spot on its chest, known as a ‘chest blaze’.
Fall is the time of year when bears begin to forage for food and gain weight in preparation for hibernation.
They are known to forage for up to twenty hours in the fall and eat 20,000 calories per day.
They generally try to find food naturally, but are more than willing to take human food if it is offered to them.
It is recommended not to approach a bear because ‘your presence will cause the bear to change its behavior (stop eating, change direction of travel, look at you, etc.). You’re too close’. National Park Service said.
Park staff made sure to remind park visitors and anyone in the area to try to keep food out of sight.
The National Park Service has also recommended that if anyone encounters a bear, they should consult its bear safety tips, call the number or stop by the nearest visitor center to report the sighting.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is the ‘most visited of the National Park Service’s 425 sites, with an astonishing 15.71 million visitors last year
A Facebook post from Ashville Untapped revealed that the bear “took a few bites out of the seat of the motorcycle” during his adventure
It’s unclear when the eight-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen, as officials hope this will deter the bear and people from interacting.
Just a few weeks ago, another black bear snuck into a Connecticut home and stole a lasagna from the freezer before running away.
The homeowner, Helena Houlis, shared Ring camera footage of the intruder raiding her refrigerator as the bear used the freezer door to fight its way out the window.
Like North Carolina, Connecticut has warned residents and visitors to be aware of bear activity this fall.
According to CNNBlue Ridge Parkway is the ‘most visited of the National Park Service’s 425 sites, with an astonishing 15.71 million visitors last year.
It’s unclear when the eight-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway will reopen, but the popular hiking area in the Craggy Gardens Recreation Area is still accessible via NC80.