Portion Of A North Carolina Scenic Parkway Closed Due To Wildlife

Looking to make that picturesque leaf season drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway? You may not be able to. A portion of the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway is closed for the immediate foreseeable future just north of Asheville. The popular drive will be closed from mile 367.6 near the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area to milepost 375.6 at Ox Creek Road. The closure is for the immediate future with no reopening date set as of now. The closer is due to reports of visitors approaching, feeding, and even holding a young bear. Lane Pinnacle Overlook is the area in which the bear has been sighted. Humans should never interact with wild animals as they can be dangerous and unpredictable.

“We are closing this section of the road temporarily for the safety of both the bear and park visitors,” said Superintendent Tracy Swartout in a Facebook post. “When people intentionally attract bears with trash and food it can lead to very dangerous situations. In this instance, we want to give the bear a chance to lose interest in the area before the situation escalates and visitors or the bear are harmed.”

Well, we all know North Carolina is home to many different species of animals across the state. From unique pets to animals you find on the beach to animals you find up in the mountains. The state has so many different types of living areas for animals that it is kind of wild to think about how many different homes we offer them. But, not all of these animals are ones you should play with. Think about it, not every animal is a kind, friendly dog. We have some dangerous species to beware of within the state.

Animal Vivid wants to be sure we are all aware of what creatures we should stay away from if we ever come across them. From deadly reptiles to deadly insects, you never know what you might come across in North Carolina wildlife. They gathered a list of the 10 most dangerous animals in North Carolina. Below, you can find 5 of the most dangerous animals in North Carolina and a little bit about each one. No worries, want to see the full list of all 10, click here and be safe!

Come on, we're in the Carolinas! We knew an alligator would have to make this list at some point. This reptile lives in swamps, streams, or rivers throughout the state. Unfortunately, the alligator is a carnivore. The American alligator specifically is a species of alligator that you should be extremely cautious of. Although it will ignore humans sometimes, it still can consider human flesh to be a great meal!

North Carolina is home to three different rattlesnake species, how lucky are we? All three are different level of danger to a human. Of the three though, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the most venomous in the American continent. Now, that is some power! The Diamondback is also the largest rattlesnake, so if you needed more of a reason to stay away... there you go!

Now, coming from someone who just recently saw Cocaine Bear, I could see why this animal is on the list. Black bears are found throughout the forests spread across the state of North Carolina. Although the black bear is the smallest of all bear species, it can still be dangerous. Thankfully, the black bear does not attack often and would rather scare you away from it than actually harm you.

I am not a spider person whatsoever, but here we go. The brown recluse spider can be found in wood piles, sheds, or garages which means it's close to home. Although they contain a very high level of venom they are a bit iffy when it comes to humans. The spider only bites when it feels threatened so be careful if you ever see one, because the venom is strong enough to put you in the hospital after a bite.

We all know we have seen a deer or two whenever we're out on the roads. This mammal lives in cropland, brushland, or pastureland across the state. Although deer are pretty peaceful in general, they earned their danger stripes due to the number of car accidents they cause throughout the state. Early mornings and early evenings you can find deer crossing dark roads at such random and high-speed cars sometimes don't stand a chance. Whenever you're on a roadway where you may not be able to tell if a deer is coming or not, it's always best to just sit back and drive with caution.