A bear that's been spotted a few times wandering around West Knox County is apparently not looking to stay here long.
The bear has been spotted at a hotel in Turkey Creek, then in Hardin Valley, and today near Pellissippi Parkway.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said they've been tracking the bear's movements, and say it's wandering around while looking for food in trash bins and wherever else it can forage.
So far, it hasn't caused any serious trouble -- but if it doesn't find its way back to a more rural location soon, the bear could be the one in trouble.
The TWRA will typically let roaming bears be so long as they move on and don't cause trouble or show aggressive behavior. It is typical for bears to travel long distances in search of food or territory.
However, Matt Cameron with the TWRA said bears that get too used to human food end up settling down where they shouldn't -- so they may have to forcibly relocate it or euthanize the bear if it hangs around for too long.
"Once they set up camp in a certain area, and start getting into trash and you can kind of pattern them, that means they're probably not going to go very far because they've gotten so used to that easy meal from people's garbage cans that they're just going to stay with that," he said.
Thankfully for bear lovers, the TWRA said this bear continues to wander further out of the city, so they believe it got turned around somewhere and is trying to find its way back to the woods.
Still, if you live in West Knox County -- it would be a good idea to keep these tips in mind:
- Never feed or approach bears-- this includes carefully managing sources of human food or garbage to make sure the bears can't access it or aren't attracted to the area. When camping in bear country, keep all food stored in a vehicle and away from tents.
- If you live in a town near black bear habitats, you should not store food, garbage or other recyclables in areas accessible to bears. You also should avoid feeding birds or other wildlife where bears are active.
- Outdoor pets should only be fed a portion they will completely consume, and keeping grills and smokers cleaned and stored securely will also help deter bears.
- If you do encounter a bear, remove whatever attracted the bear to come into your area. There is almost always a safe escape route when bears enter towns. Crowd control is the initial concern as the behavior of a cornered bear can be unpredictable. Immediately report to the TWRA or local police any sightings of bears within areas of human population centers.
- While black bears are usually tolerant of humans, they should always be treated as wild animals, whether in residential or backcountry areas. Black bears are rarely aggressive towards people and typically go out of their way to avoid contact, however as human development continues and bear numbers increase, occasional interactions will be unavoidable.
- If you see a black bear from a distance, alter your route of travel, return the way you came, or wait until it leaves the area. Make your presence known by yelling and shouting at the bear in an attempt to scare it away.
- If approached by a bear, stand your ground, raise your arms to appear larger, yell and throw rocks or sticks until it leaves the area. Never run from a black bear! This will often trigger its natural instinct to chase.