Black Bear Attacks in Louisiana? The Facts May Surprise You

🐊 KNGT 🐊 | Louisiana — I came across a crazy news article from New Jersey the other day. A black bear gave customers quite the scare when it strolled inside a Dollar General store. Although no one was harmed, it got me thinking about what may occur in Louisiana if something similar happened.

We do have some black bears down here in the Bayou State. The majority reside far from towns in rural and swampy areas. They are solitary and spend their time looking for fish, fruit, and insects. Although they coexist in our state, black bears are inherently timid creatures. Most of the time, they stay away from people.

Why Black Bears Rarely Attack Humans in Louisiana

After some internet searching, I discovered something interesting. Here in Louisiana, no black bear attacks have ever been documented. Not one. That's quite unexpected for a state with so many wild animals. However, it demonstrates how uncommon bear encounters are in this area.

I became interested in the rest of the country as a result. How frequently do attacks by black bears occur in the United States? Only between 61 to 67 individuals have been killed by black bears in North America since 1900. That works out to fewer than one deadly assault each year on average. The majority of such attacks weren't caused by bears hunting humans. They were defensive instead. Often, the bear reacted fearfully because the person got too close or scared it.

Here's the thing, then. Although they are incredibly uncommon, black bear attacks occasionally occur. These animals would sooner flee than engage in combat. Give it lots of room and maintain your composure if you ever see one. Most likely, it will walk off, as that bear from New Jersey did.

There are many things to be concerned about in Louisiana, but black bears aren't one of them.