Backyard Bears

September 1, 2018
In Asheville, North Carolina, wildlife biologists study a growing black bear population, one example of city-dwellers and animals who try to coexist around the world.Around and within Asheville, black bears are proliferating. Four specialists, led by Colleen Olfenbuttel, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's black bear and furbearer biologist and a professor at N.C. State University, conduct field investigations that include capturing, tagging, and following bears fitted with radio collars. Cherrix writes with affection about her hometown, offering readers an immediate account of bear captures and the scientists' work. Accompanied by local wildlife photographer Steve Atkins (who contributes many of the book's full-color photos), she joins the scientists (who all present white) for two bear encounters. Photos show the splendid Blue Mountains scenery, bear habitat in suburban backyards, and the bears themselves, including an irresistible cub less than 2 months old. Readers see scientists in action as well as schoolchildren having a rare opportunity to see and touch a bear, temporarily sedated for a physical exam. The writer weaves in information about black bear life, the history of human-bear relationships in the area, habitat changes, and even tips for bear encounters. A middle chapter describes other examples of urban human/wildlife cohabitation: leopards in Mumbai, India; eastern coyotes across the United States; feral chickens in Hawaii; turkeys in Boston; starlings throughout North America; wild boars in Berlin; and the threat of capybaras in Florida. Another inviting example of scientific field work in a consistently appealing series. (glossary, notes, bibliography, acknowledgements, index) (Nonfiction.10-16)

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October 1, 2018

Gr 4-8-Cherrix accompanies four wildlife biologists who are part of the five-year North Carolina Urban/Suburban Black Bear Study centered in Asheville, NC. As the black bear population rebounded from a critical low in the 1970s, conservation efforts resulted in increased human-bear interactions. To learn about bears' habits, scientists fit bears with a radio collar and GPS tracking device and check on them periodically to observe their physical condition. Such field work requires patience and stamina to collect data to help answer questions about how bear behavior, diet, and size may change in urban settings. One unexpected finding is the tolerance most Asheville residents exhibit toward the increased bear population. Cherrix offers brief accounts of other human-animal relations, from leopards in Mumbai to wild boars in Berlin to feral chickens in Hawaii. She also includes short interviews with the scientists, tips for dealing with bears, explanations of GPS tracking, and related topics. Numerous photos accompany the engaging text. Another recent book on urban wildlife, Michelle Mulder's Going Wild: Helping Nature Thrive in Cities, stresses children's involvement. VERDICT A useful introduction to a field of scientific study that will only grow in importance. A fine addition to nonfiction collections.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato

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