BearWise helps people live responsibly with black bears
Who We Are
BearWise.org is a regional program based in the southeastern U.S. that shares ways to prevent conflicts, provides resources to resolve problems, and encourages community initiatives to keep bears wild.
BearWise.org is supported by the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA), an organization whose members are the state agencies with primary responsibility for management and protection of the fish and wildlife resources in 15 states, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Member states are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The 6 BearWise Basics
Black bear range in Southeastern U.S. is expanding
Black bears once roamed all the forested lands of the contiguous lower 48 states. After European settlement, their numbers and habitat dwindled.
Thanks to conservation and management efforts, black bears are making a dramatic comeback in the Southeast. As bears expand into areas with suitable habitat, it is important for communities to learn how to coexist with them.
Current black bear range in Southeastern U.S., 2016
