Depending on where you live, when spring has sprung, black bears get a little antsy. One such place where those freshly-awake animals are getting the zoomies is North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
The Outer Banks, as you know, is a pretty wonderful place. Amazing waves, John B. searching for his father and treasure, Brett Barley, houses falling into the ocean (that’s not wonderful at all), and much more. Black bears don’t really live in the OBX all year around, but they sure do enjoy it when spring springs.
“While we do not have a permanent black bear population along the Outer Banks portion of Dare County, it is not uncommon for one to pass through the area,” the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said in a news release. “In the springtime, these bears are usually young males looking for territory of their own.”
The bears have been spotted in the towns of Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, and Southern Shores, although a spokesman from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said it’s likely that the Nags Head bear was the same one seen in Kill Devil Hills.
Black bears, especially this time of year, are looking for easy meals. Our garbage often fits the bill, but as long as we don’t make it easy for them, they’ll move on.
“Our hope is he finds a comfortable area away from the densely populated beach,” said Lt. John Beardsley with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “This has happened a few times in the past when bears have visited the Outer Banks. If we can keep humans out of his way he will achieve his goal and find a new home.”
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this post featured images generated using artificial intelligence without clear disclosure. We regret the error. AI is no joke.
