BearWise helps people live responsibly with black bears
BearWise helps people live responsibly with black bears
BearWise® is the black bear program you can trust for sound information and smart solutions that help people, neighborhoods and communities prevent problems with bears.


Six At-Home BearWise Basics
Do you spend time outdoors…
…hiking, walking, cycling, jogging, camping?
Read how to Be BearWise Outdoors.


The Black Bear Comeback
Black bears once roamed over all of America’s forested lands. But after European settlement, their numbers and habitat in the Southeast dwindled. Thanks to new attitudes and enlightened conservation and management efforts, black bears are making a dramatic comeback over much of their historic home range. Now that bears are returning to areas they used to call home, it’s up to people and communities to learn how to peacefully coexist with these amazing animals.
BearWise shares ways to prevent conflicts, provides resources to resolve problems, and encourages community initiatives to keep bears wild.

The BearWise® program was developed by black bear biologists and is supported by State wildlife agencies. Read more About BearWise.
The BearWise® name and logos are registered trademarks of SEAFWA, the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.