In Dare County, North Carolina, a bastion
for American black bears is hidden in
plain sight Alligator River National
Wildlife Refuge hosts one of the largest
concentrations of black bears on the US
East Coast in this episode
I'll go looking for these bears on an
American Safari
let's just get to the damn point getting
around the Alligator River Wildlife
Refuge is simple there are multiple dirt
roads and tracks that allow you to drive
around the refuge is a hundred and fifty
thousand acres and you don't even need a
4x4 the best places to search for bears
are around the crop fields and canals
last time I was here I spotted an old
bear bathing in one of the canals so far
no sign of any bears so I head for the
back roads you know I missed my Land
Rover but it's kind of badass going
off-roading in a freaking Honda cr-v on
the refuge's back roads I have not seen
a bear but I have seen their tracks and
scat you know their poop so I mind
you're driving in the backwoods I'm
looking for bears I don't really think
I'm going to see any bears right here
honestly
scanning the dense vegetation I keep my
eyes peeled for movement
I don't know where this goes hope this
is a good the bombing range last time I
follow the road like this I ended up
outside I think I'm lost out here let's
have a look at the sign I hastily make
my way away from the US Navy bombing
range back towards the crop fields year
round the Bears are drawn to the crop
fields and they along with the lack of
hunting pressures and human presence are
likely a primary reason behind the
thriving bear populations I just spotted
a black bear it's wandering out the
middle of this field here dawn and dusk
I find are generally the best times to
find these bears probably because it's
cooler out and there's less people and
activity in the spring and summer the
tall fields of grain and other crops
make the Bears difficult to find but
after the harvest season the crops are
gone and the Bears are quite easy to
spot during this time the hungry bears
are foraging for grain left behind by
farmers black bears are omnivorous but
an alligator River they primarily eat
plants and insects well I think today
has been a pretty successful day found a
black bear and actually see another one
over there right now
so if you want to see you black bears on
the US East Coast Alligator River
Wildlife Refuge is a place to be highly
recommended
black bears are territorial and they are
usually seen alone however due to the
abundance of food in alligator river you
are likely to see multiple bears in the
same area according to a study by the
u.s. geological surveys cooperative
Wildlife Research Unit at Virginia Tech
gee that's a mouthful alligator river's
black bear population is estimated to be
between 180 and 293 bears with about
three bears per square mile and good
habitat by comparison and other good
black bear habitats a normal population
is one bear per square mile
that says a lot about alligator River if
you do see a bear in the wild keep your
distance
black bears are not nearly as dangerous
to humans as brown bears but they can
still be aggressive when threatened or
hungry like all animals they deserve
respect so on that note I ride off into
the sunset
obligatory statement about humanity's
negative impact on the environment and
the positive outcomes of conservation
take nothing but pictures leave nothing
but footprints you get the idea blah
blah blah until next time
you
you
