To the Editor: Black Bears in Crozet

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Black Bears in Crozet

This has been a great year to see bears in Crozet and our surrounding mountains. As an avid trail runner, I spend a lot of time running the trails of Shenandoah National Park (SNP) and Mint Springs Park and I’ve never seen as many bears as I have this year. This summer I have seen at least 10 different bears for about 20 total bear sightings – all in Crozet or in our immediate area of SNP.

Recently, I spooked a bear cub who was cruising along the sidewalk on the new Jarmans Gap Road, and I’ve heard a few other reports of bear cubs running through Old Trail.

I am writing to remind people of a few bear facts. First, black bears are very docile and timid animals. There are zero reported fatalities caused by black bears in Virginia. Ever. In all of my encounters this summer, the bears have taken off before I could even get my phone out to take a picture. They are by far more timid than deer. Crozetians should be aware they have nothing to fear from black bears. Bear spray is for Grizzly Bears (which are not present in Virginia)!

Second, the best way to kill a black bear is to feed it or to provide it with easy access to food (i.e. non-secured trash cans, pet food left outside).

Recall the sad, sad story of the little bear cub wandering around Old Trail in 2010. He became acclimated to humans (and their food) and was ultimately trapped and killed because he was deemed non-releasable. That was tragic.

Crozet is a sweet spot and we need to remember that our town is adjacent to Shenandoah National Park, where black bears live and thrive. These incredible animals unfortunately migrate into town occasionally. There are no easy answers here, but if everyone can respect them as local wildlife and treat them as such—without fear—we should be able to coexist under most circumstances.

John Andersen, DVM
Crozet