Newborns and mothers remain denned until April. Cubs remain with their mothers for a year and a half. It is illegal to feed or harass any Park wildlife. They die from asphyxiation or digestive track blockages. A human-fed bear has a lifespan of only eight years.
Habituated bears lose their natural fear of people.
Aggressive bears are sometimes destroyed. For their sake and yours, please follow food storage regulations and do not feed the bears or other wildlife. Park bear monitoring efforts include an annual bait station and food availability surveys. The objective for managing bears is to manage visitors in a manner that allows bears to live naturally and provide for safe visitor use. Whitetail Deer Deer live throughout the Smokies, but are most commonly seen in Cades Cove.