RALEIGH, N.C. -- Experts say black bears are crossing North Carolina from both the west and the east.
For most of the past century, black bears could only be found in the western mountains and eastern swamps of North Carolina. But as their numbers increased, they began to find new homes.
Biologists tell The News & Observer of Raleigh they plan to try to figure out how far the bears have spread next year.
The Wildlife Resources Commission reports there were about 11,000 bears living on nearly 10 million acres in North Carolina in 2008, compared to the 1971 count of 4,000 bears occupying 2.5 million acres.
Before European settlers came to North Carolina and began hunting them relentlessly, black bears roamed across the entire state.
