Acadia News

Are there Bears in Acadia?

When I took my family to Grand Tetons National Park last year, we had to make noise on our hikes to scare away any nearby bears (my kids sang some of the time). I guess it worked; we never saw a single bear. I've often told people that Acadia is a very safe park– the only wildlife you'll see are squirrels and the occasional deer. But I was surprised to read that a bear(s) had been spotted in Acadia a couple weeks ago. Apparently it was somewhere near the Blackwoods Campground. The National Park Service commented that bear sightings are rare but they do occur from time to time. So now I know– I guess I'll have to be a little more vigilant out walking on my own. Maybe I'll even try singing… that should scare them away.

[From the Acadia National Park Facebook page, August 23rd:]

Black bears have been sighted in the park. To stay safe while bears are out and about, please remember to:
- walk with someone,
- make noise to let bears know of your presence ahead of time,
- report all sightings of wild animals to the park
- Leave No Trace: pack out what you packed; trash can attract bears and teach them to return to that location for food.

(Bear photos by Michael Hudson, Shenandoah National Park, 2009)