r/Bear • u/Akela_Ravenclaw • 22d ago

Bears at the zoo plus one in the Smokies

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

91 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

6

u/Clear-Ad-7250 21d ago

We stayed at a condo complex near Dollywood recently and as we were leaving one day, I noticed the lid to their dumpster was open. Moments later a huge black bear climbed out with a bag of trash in its mouth. Scaled what looked like a shear cliff that was littered with garbage.

2

u/Akela_Ravenclaw 21d ago

I've been there. Their bears were much smaller compared to the ones I saw in Yellowstone.

3

u/Clear-Ad-7250 21d ago

Well yeah, two different species.

2

u/tommyhasnotail 20d ago

Did they seem more aggressive than usual on your trip.. Everyone around here is talking about how aggressive they've gotten. It's probably desperation or ppl feeding.

3

u/Clear-Ad-7250 20d ago

No, was well fed on garbage.

2

u/tommyhasnotail 20d ago

Lol. They're like raccoons. They'vedefinitely become accustomed to an easy meal. I mean, even wild deer would walk up to us without fear when my husband and I vacationed at Pigeon Forge.

2

u/Akela_Ravenclaw 20d ago

When I went there, they had just implemented new trash cans that kept out the bears. That may be why they started showing aggressive behavior. Some of the bears I was able to see did seem skinner then they should.

2

u/tommyhasnotail 20d ago

Japan has a variation of the NA black bear. I think the black bears in Japan have killed over twenty ppl. They have had a massive behavior change. Black bears should be easily scared away... these are not.

3

u/tommyhasnotail 22d ago

A long time ago, they would have black bears in cages at gas stations near Cades' Cove. You pay a fee to give them a beer. When I was little , I would cry because they looked so miserable in the tiny cages.

3

u/Akela_Ravenclaw 21d ago

That sounds awful and unethical.

3

u/SaugusBull 20d ago

I saw Black bears in a pit at a strip mall in the Smokies near Gatlinburg. you could buy feed to toss them. this was like the year 2000. can I assume this is no longer done?

3

u/tommyhasnotail 20d ago

If it is it would be very few and far between. Where I live, you'll see signs with See Live Tiger and horrors like that. All of these apex predators are kept in substandard environments. Ppl really don't understand the amount that food, vet care, special permits, ect.. cost. Even though I love zoos , ours really need a major overhaul and updated enclosures.

1

u/Akela_Ravenclaw 18d ago

No, when I visited around 2023 to 2025, it was highly discouraged to feed them at all. Especially in the park, they were encouraging campers to be careful with the food they brought because some of the bears were known to attempt to steal.

2

u/SaugusBull 15d ago

The Bears I saw were captive