Rangers at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are pleading with visitors to stop feeding the bears. After three reported incidents in just the last week, the National Park Service put out a press release with a harsh reminder of the penalties visitors face for breaking the park’s rules.
“Feeding wildlife in the park is a federal offense and can result in fines of up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to six months,” the report reads, “feeding bears is not only illegal; it can be extremely dangerous for bears and visitors.”
One visitor of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was seen this week feeding a mother bear and two cubs. She was fined an undisclosed amount by park rangers on the scene.
There are currently around 1900 black bears within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which spans from Eastern Tennessee to North Carolina. The National Park Service claims this is the largest bear population ever recorded in the 522000-acre area.
Bear activity and spottings are most common in the summer months during mating season. “Bear activity is especially high due to a scarcity of natural food sources combined with the stressors of peak breeding season,” the press release reads.
With around 12 million visitors per year, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in The United States. Despite the high number of tourists and native bears, the number of bear attacks in the park is increasingly rare.
National Park Safety Guidelines
The National Park Service recommends following park rules to keep yourself and the wildlife safe from harm. On top of never feeding the bears, rangers remind visitors to store any food and trash securely while in the wilderness.
The press release also recommends keeping any pets on one of the dog-friendly trails throughout the National Park: the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail.
