Need help with a deer, bear or raccoon? Give NC Wildlife a call

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Helpline has answered nearly 20,000 calls each year since 2017.

Posted 11:44 p.m. Aug 3, 2021 — Updated 12:42 p.m. Aug 4, 2021

Luke Notestine

, WRAL photojournalist

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Helpline has answered an average of 20,000 calls each year since 2017.

Kristin Cathey, a conservation biologist for the commission, said that they receive the most calls in June — more than 600 each week.

The helpline helps people get the resources they need to interact safely with wildlife.

If you have a problem with a wild animal, call: 866-318-2401. The Wildlife Helpline is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You can also email HWI@ncwildlife.org

“There such a great diversity of people here in the state of North Carolina," she said. "It’s a real pleasure to speak with all kinds of constituents with all kinds of wildlife concerns that come into the helpline.“

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There's been an increase in wildlife sightings in the suburbs over the past couple of years, the commission says.

Wildlife researchers say that people are feeding the creatures, leading to an increase in sightings. These animals are finding gardens to munch on and taking shelter in backyards.

"There’s a lot of wildlife that have learned to interact and to adapt to the human population growth," Cathey said. "The big question is whether or not people can adapt to live with the wildlife.“

North Carolina State University Researchers said that animals and humans usually co-exist quite well in Triangle suburbs. Researchers found that wildlife are more prominent in suburban areas as compared to rural ones.

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While cases of loose animals like the zebra cobra and wolf hybrids have received plenty of public attention, exotic animal calls are usually handled by local officials, not the North Carolina Wildlife Commission.

Biologists with the wildlife commission typically focus on more common types of calls like deer, raccoons and bears.

North Carolina's deer population has been growing since the 1990s after conservation efforts. In cities, where hunting is less common, the deer population is growing.

Calls to the helpline have increased each year, Cathey said.

"We have seen an increase of roughly 14% a year of call volume since it started in 2017," she said.

Officials say if you see any wildlife and it's not bothering you, leave it alone.