Today, bears can be found in every county in East Tennessee, from the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau to the Tennessee-North Carolina state line. As of 2020, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency estimates 6,000 bears in the area.

• The state of Tennessee has two main Black Bear populations; the Appalachian Population, and the Cumberland Population. There are believed to be around 7,000 bears in the state of Tennessee and the population is expanding and growing.

Where do black bears live in Tennessee?

RANGE. Tennessee has two main black bear populations: the Appalachian Population along the Tennessee-North Carolina border and the Cumberland Population in the northern part of the Cumberland Plateau along the Tennessee-Kentucky border.

How common are bear attacks in Tennessee?

Bear attacks in the park are rare. They mostly eat berries, nuts and acorns, but also will eat small animals and scavenge on carcasses, McInnis said. But with the Smokies being the most-visited national park in the country – 12.1 million people visited in 2020 – human-bear interactions are almost inevitable.

How many bears are in Middle Tennessee?

TWRA estimates there currently are about 6,000 black bears in the state.

Are bears bad in Tennessee?

If we asked you what you think is one of the most dangerous animals in Tennessee, it’s likely a bear would be at the top of the list. Bears prefer to be left alone by people but are curious animals. If humans encroach on their territory they could come to check them out.

Are black bears aggressive?

In most cases, black bears are relatively shy, only acting aggressively as a last resort. Nevertheless, the most effective way to avoid a bear attack is by preventing encounters in the first place. Just because black bears can be less dangerous than other large carnivores doesn’t mean fatal attacks don’t happen.

How common are black bears in Tennessee?

Today, bears can be found in every county in East Tennessee, from the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau to the Tennessee-North Carolina state line. As of 2020, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency estimates 6,000 bears in the area.

What time of day are black bears most active?

Bears are most active during early morning and late evening hours in spring and summer. Mating usually takes place in July. Both female and male bears may have more than one mate during the summer.

Do black bears come out at night?

Bears are usually active from dawn to dusk, but they may be seen any time of day or night. Bears in many places of high human use have become nocturnal in order to avoid people.

Which state has the most bears?

In the state of California, there are an estimated 25,000-35,000 American black bears, making it the largest population of the species in the contiguous United States.

What state has the most black bears?

The Largest Black Bears on the Planet. A little known Bear Fact is that coastal North Carolina is home to the largest black bears on the planet! How big are they? North Carolina’s coastal black bears average 50-100 lbs or more than their cousins.

How many elk are in Tennessee?

There were 201 Elk in total that were released over a period of eight years. It is currently estimated that the Tennessee elk herd numbers are a little over 400.

Are mountain lions in Tennessee?

Cougars, Puma concolor, The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and catamount, is the largest feline animal in North America. There haven’t been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900s.

Are there alligators in Tennessee lakes?

Alligators are naturally expanding their range into Tennessee from the southern border states. TWRA has not stocked any alligators in Tennessee. Alligators expanding into Tennessee is just another species that we must learn to coexist with like many of the other southern states.

Is there moose in Tennessee?

“It’s a beautiful animal. I think it’s a beautiful shape — the antlers are beautiful,” Brown said. ” Since Tennessee doesn’t have moose, it was a unique opportunity to create one.”

Are wolves in Tennessee?

There are currently no wolves in Tennessee. In fact, most historic range maps show that gray wolves never lived in Tennessee; only smaller red wolves once lived here. Some folks from time to time think that they have seen a wild wolf in Tennessee, but they haven’t.