Editing Maggie Valley, North Carolina (section)

==Wildlife==
[[File:ElkinMaggieValley.jpg|thumb|An elk in a Maggie Valley neighborhood.]]
[[Elk]] were copious throughout the United States, but numbers decreased in the mid-19th century because of overhunting and habitat loss. In 2001, the [[Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation]], the [[National Park Service]] and other partners joined to restore wild elk to the [[Great Smoky Mountains]] in the [[Cataloochee (Great Smoky Mountains)|Cataloochee]] Valley near Maggie Valley.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://maggievalley.org/maggie-valley-attractions/cataloochee-valley-elk/|title= Maggie Valley elk|website=Maggie Valley |access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref> Most elk are found in Cataloochee Valley, which is a perfect viewing area in the southeastern section of the [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]]. But the elk have been known to wander out of the park and walk toward Maggie Valley. There are an estimated 200 elk in the Maggie Valley area currently.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cataloochee Valley Elk |url=https://maggievalley.org/maggie-valley-attractions/cataloochee-valley-elk/ |access-date=September 5, 2023 |website=Maggie Valley, North Carolina |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[American black bear|Black bears]] are occasionally seen in and around Maggie Valley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aboutmaggievalley.com/facts.html/|title=Bears in Maggie Valley|website=About Maggie Valley|access-date= March 21, 2019}}</ref> During winter, the black bears are inactive for a short amount of time and exhibit some physiological responses to low food storage and temperatures. But a result of their brief hibernation is that there are more bear sightings. This is risky because they can be looking for food in neighborhoods or killed on roads. Locals strongly suggest never approaching a bear to photograph it, or leaving food or garbage out, and taking in any bird feeders that are not monitored (especially at night).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Species/Mammals/Black-Bear/Black-Bear-Hibernation|title= Black Bears|website=NC Wildlife |access-date=March 21, 2019}}</ref>