The Wild Truth: Forget the Selfies!

By Paula Musto

The video is disturbing! A group of neighbors are seen snatching bear cubs out of a tree and posing for selfies while clutching the terrified animals in their arms. One cub drops to the ground and tries to escape, running furiously as a woman gives chase.

The incident, captured on camera at an Asheville apartment complex this spring, quickly went viral, demonstrating another sad example of people carelessly interacting with wildlife in ways that are inappropriate.

“This has understandably brought up feelings of frustration, sadness and anger for many viewers,” says Appalachian Wildlife Refuge (AWR) executive director Savannah Trantham, a certified wildlife rehabilitator whose organization is now caring for one of the cubs that was rescued by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. “We hope witnessing these shocking visuals prompts people to reflect on the very real challenges that wildlife face every day.”

Wildlife species are facing ever-increasing pressures to co-exist with people. As human populations continue to grow and expand into natural habitats, human-wildlife encounters are inevitable, often resulting in injury to the animal or even death.

In the case of the cubs, two were able to escape, running for safety into nearby woods, but a sibling, weak and disoriented, was left behind. That animal is now in the company of another previously orphaned cub at the AWR care center and is doing well despite being separated from its family. While this incident may well have a happy ending when the cub, soon to be a yearling, is released back into the wild, too many human-wildlife interactions end badly for the animal.

“If all the turtles, snakes, rabbits, opossums, squirrels, birds, raccoons and fawns got the same concern when people harass, steal and harm them, then we would be winning,” Trantham says of AWR’s mission to care for injured and orphaned wildlife. “Unfortunately, we see the impact of harmful treatment of wildlife species on a daily basis.” Last year, AWR received more than 2,000 animals at its Candler wildlife care facility. Most were injured or separated from their mothers due to human activity.

Carlton Burke, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who operates Carolina Mountain Naturalists, is only too familiar with errant human behavior toward wildlife. While sometimes it’s deliberately provocative, often it’s due to a lack of knowledge and disregard for the creatures with whom we share our planet.

“It’s a mindset,” Burke says. “Humans need to be sensitive to the wildlife that surrounds us, especially with more and more human encroachment into natural habitats. The animals have no choice but to live close to people.” Burke says when encountering wildlife people should enjoy the experience but do so without negatively impacting the animals. Here are some ways:

Keep your Distance. Although many appear tame, wild animals are not. Resist the urge to pet and hold them. Some animals may be rejected by their parents if they have contact with humans, making them more vulnerable to predators or other harmful situations.

Additionally, wildlife can suffer injuries when attempting to escape from people who have gotten too close. Pets also need to be kept at a distance. It’s not wise to let your dog or cat roam free where wildlife roams—much of Western North Carolina! Their encounters can be just as injurious, if not more so, than human interactions.

Never feed wildlife. When people intentionally or unintentionally feed wild animals, it’s detrimental to the species. Whether scraps and crumbs fed to birds and ducks or people simply forgetting to secure their trash, eating human food puts the animals at risk for poor nourishment and shorter life spans. Wildlife requires natural foods to live healthy lives that include hunting, foraging and scavenging for sustenance. Learning to seek human food changes how they interact with people with unintended consequences. Squirrels can bite, deer have sharp antlers and bears are known for their destructive antics in search of people food. It can be a death sentence for the animal when a food-conditioned species becomes so aggressive it must be removed.

Mothers know best. When hikers and others find babies in the wild, good intentions can go awry. That little creature or nest of babies tucked away alone in the woods may not be orphaned at all. It’s not unusual for mothers to leave their little ones in a safe spot while out foraging for food. Even though we might think of them as orphans or abandoned, in most cases the babies are fine. Do not attempt to save babies by removing them. If concerned, you can mark the spot and check back later. If it truly seems that the babies are in danger, call the AWR hotline at 828.633.6364.

The bear cub video, aired on national TV and widely viewed, is difficult to watch, but there may be a silver lining, says Trantham. We can take the incident to heart and spread the word to treat all wild animals with the respect they deserve. You can join with AWR to promote a healthier, more compassionate co-existence.

Paula Musto is a writer and volunteer for Appalachian Wildlife Refuge, one of two black bear cub rehabilitation facilities licensed by the state. Bear cubs are one of the most expensive animals to provide rehabilitative care to, costing the nonprofit $20,000 to $30,000 each year in food and other expenses. To learn more or to donate, visit AppalachianWild.org.