Cheatham County Exchange
ASHLAND CITY WEATHER

Bear attacks Tennessee woman on front porch




Don't mess with mama bear, or her cubs. Carolyn Hedgecoth

Don’t mess with mama bear, or her cubs. Carolyn Hedgecoth

State wildlife officials used to warn the public to be wary when in bear country.

Nowadays “bear country” can be a front porch.

A bear recently attacked an elderly Sevierville woman on her porch, leaving her with a scratched arm – a reminder to the public to beware of the bruins as encounters with humans are on the rise.

The woman was sitting on her porch when a sow and three yearling cubs walked into the yard and climbed up on the porch. She said the mother bear “got right in my face” when she tried to shoo it away.

She used a chair to fend off the bear, and during the confrontation it swiped at her with its paw, injuring her arm. The bears then retreated and the woman called for help.

Tennessee’s bear population has grown dramatically over the past two decades, prompting them to expand their range from the traditional Smokey Mountains into additional East Tennessee areas and on into Middle Tennessee.

The more bears interact with humans, the more they lose their instinctive fear of them.

Making the situation even more dangerous, suburban bears learn to associate humans with food sources. Wildlife officials warn the public not to feed bears, nor leave pet food and other edibles outside where it can attract bears and other nuisance wildlife.

Black bears are not normally aggressive unless provoked, but as indicated in the Sevierville incident, that is not always the case. The woman said she did nothing to initiate the attack.

Mother bears are protective of their cubs and can be dangerous when the young are present. Bears are also aggressive then they believe their food source is threatened. The “threat” can be unintentional, such as a hiker innocently walking into a berry patch or stumbling onto a hidden cache of carrion.

If a bear is encountered, back away slowly and go indoors if possible. If a bear is spotted in a residential area, go inside and alert law enforcement officials. They will contact wildlife experts who are equipped to handle the situation.

It is illegal to shoot or otherwise injure a bear unless it presents a clear and immediate threat.

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