Wildlife officials say the black bear population in Western North Carolina stands at about 8,000. That’s eight times the estimated total of just 40 years ago.  Karen Zatkulak, a reporter with WLOS-TV, was among the journalists who produced stories for the station’s recent “Bear Week.” We’ll talk about the factors leading wildlife officials to pivot from a strategy of boosting to curbing the region’s bear population. We’ll also talk about findings in her reporting she found surprising and get details about a controversial black bear center in Cherokee.

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