NATURALIST'S 



NOTEBOOK 



Black 

 3ears 



Shy Giants 

 of the 

 Pocosin 



By Cynthia 

 Henderson Vega 



M ntion coastal wildlife, 

 and you probably think of water- 

 fowl or sea creatures. But at some 

 of North Carolina's coastal wildlife 

 refuges and state and federal parks, 

 there's a chance you'll also see one 

 of the state's largest and most 

 fascinating wild mammals — the 

 American black bear. 



Or maybe not. Although black 

 bears are plentiful in the coastal 

 area, they are naturally shy and 

 more likely will spot you first. 

 Distrustful of their only natural 

 predators, black bears tend to hide 

 when humans are around. 



Hiding is a remarkable talent 

 for such a massive mammal. North 

 Carolina is known for the size of its 

 bears, says David Rowe, wildlife 

 biologist for the N.C. Wildlife 

 Resources Commission. Males can 

 weigh as much as 600 pounds and 

 adult females between 100 to 300 

 pounds. 



26 SPRING 2000 



Ken Taylor 



