NC Officials Warn About Bears After People Touch Bear Cub

North Carolina Wildlife officials are once again warning people about coming into contact with bears. This after an incident near Asheville recently where a group of people came across two bear cubs that were waiting on their mother to return. The people picked up one of the cubs so they could take a picture with it. Both cubs ran off after one of them bit one of the people in the group.

One of the cubs was later found at a retention pond and was trapped and taken to a licensed rehabilitation facility. Officials hope to release that cub back into the wild later this year. The other cub has not been found.

Wildlife officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission say that this is the time of year that mama bears are coming out of their dens with their cubs that may be experiencing the outside world for the first time. Touching the cubs may cause the mama bear to abandon it leaving the cub to fend for itself, which usually results in the death of that cub. Officials also say that the mother bear could be nearby and will protect her cubs, which could cause serious harm to those getting close to one of her cubs. Remember, they look cute and cuddly, but they are wild animals.