I totally agree with Allison Frank’s letter concerning the bear problem [“Sounding the Alarm About Town Bears,” Aug. 1, Xpress]. In response to Ms. [Ellen] Foltz [“The Problem With Bears Is Too Many People,” Aug. 15, Xpress]: The problem isn’t that we are taking over their habitat. Asheville is surrounded by thousands of acres of protected land; it’s just the food thing is easier in ours. That, coupled with milder winters and no natural predators, has caused a proliferation of the North Carolina bear population. I don’t know about Miami, but moving to Charlotte or Winston-Salem won’t work, as they are showing up there as well.
I used to see mothers with two cubs, now it’s always three or four. They are also not nearly so shy anymore; recently walking up Innsbrook [Road], the biggest male I have ever seen stopped midroad and stared at me — had he charged, my best survival chance would have been to roll under a parked car. It’s a question of when, not if, a tragedy happens.
On a lighter note: Mr. and Mrs. Bear, if you are reading this, our koi pond is not your personal sushi bar — please stay out!
— Steve Woolum
Grove Park
Asheville
“if you are reading this, our koi pond is not your personal sushi bar — please stay out!”
The blue herons will dine on your pond before the bears do. Koi are lovely (I grew up with one in a pond that my dad named “Jaws”) but they’re also a fancy meal for a heron.
On a more serious note, I saw some out-of-town idiot recently posting Instagram video of him feeding cubs granola bars from his car while momma bear looked on. I would be more than pleased to see such idiots find a ticket in the mail when they arrive back in Florida.