Bear that jumped on car in attack still elusive as Blue Ridge Parkway trails reopen
A bear that attacked a couple and jumped on their car is still evading park rangers as trails reopen along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
After monitoring a North Carolina picnic area for several days, officials didn’t capture the bear responsible for the Sept. 29 attack on a couple out for a picnic, according to the National Park Service.
Now, park rangers say food and trail restrictions that were put in place after the Asheville-area attack are being lifted on Friday. The affected areas include:
- “The Mountains to Sea Trail, from its intersection with the Visitor Center Loop Trail near Milepost 384 to the Riceville Road Bridge at Milepost 382,
- The Folk Art Center Nature Loop Trail, and
- Picnicking between the Asheville Visitor Center and adjacent parking areas near Milepost 384 to the Haw Creek Overlook near Milepost 380.”
On Sept. 29, a couple was picnicking on the grass near the Folk Art Center when their dog let them know a bear was nearby, McClatchy News reported at the time.
“The unleashed dog ran towards the bear while barking loudly,” officials said in a news release. “Likely aggravated by the dog, the bear acted defensively toward the dog and the couple. Over the next several minutes, there were repeated attacks by the bear while the couple retreated with their dog to the safety of their vehicle.”
But once they got inside, “the bear continued to attack” the car and jumped on top of it, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said last week in a blog post. The couple managed to drive to an Asheville hospital, where officials said they received treatment and were later released.
The trails that are set to reopen had been shut down due to the “bold and aggressive nature of this attack,” park rangers said. Officials had also tried to find the bear, but the creature remained elusive.
“Biologists are removing traps placed in the area,” the National Park Service said Monday in a news release. “A thorough investigation of the scene of last week’s attack was conducted and forensic evidence was gathered that will be held in the event it is needed to identify the bear in the future.”
If the bear that was involved in the attack is found, it will be “humanely euthanized,” officials said. It’s the most appropriate option because the bear wouldn’t do well in captivity and could pose a danger if it’s moved somewhere else, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a road that spans 469 miles through the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia and is a popular spot for seeing fall foliage. Rangers warn park visitors of bear activity during this time of year.
“Fall is a critical feeding period for bears known as hyperphagia, with bears typically eating 20 hours a day because of their need to put on a thick layer of fat before winter hibernation,” officials said. “October is also one of the highest visitation months on the Parkway. With bears on the move this time of year looking for food, and more people visiting the park, there is higher potential for visitors and bears to encounter one another.”
Experts say bears rarely attack humans. To avoid encounters, people are urged to keep trash and food in concealed containers. If you spot a bear, wildlife officials recommend leaving it alone and getting out of the area slowly, McClatchy News previously reported.
This story was originally published October 8, 2021 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Bear that jumped on car in attack still elusive as Blue Ridge Parkway trails reopen."
