• Approximately 1,500 black bears live in the national park.

    Great Smoky Mountains

    National Park NC,TN

Dispatches from the Field: Issue 3

Bear in trap at Chimneys Picnic Area.

Black bear in trap at Chimneys Picnic Area.

NPS photo.

Resource Roundup: Scan highlights of scientific projects and findings for April-May

Meet the Managers: Wildlife Management and Science

Focus On… The Wild(life) Side of the Smokies

  • Introduction to bear science & management
  • NPS Profile: Read about NPS Resource Managers Keeping our Bears Wild
  • Partner Profile: Read about the University of Tennessee's study of bears over the long-term
  • Links to… information about Wildlife Management, further research, and volunteering opportunities
  • And for those in school… information about education & experience needed to become an expert in Wildlife Management

Return to Dispatches from the Field issue index page.

Did You Know?

The park is named for the misty clouds that hang over the mountains.

The wispy, smoke-like fog that hangs over the Smoky Mountains comes from rain and evaporation from trees. On the high peaks of the Smokies, an average of 85 inches of rain falls each year, qualifying these upper elevation areas as temperate rain forests.