Residents report bear sightings in north Raleigh, North Hills
Recent reports of bears in backyards have officials reminding residents of North Carolina’s capital city to bear-proof around their homes and to exercise safety if they encounter a bear.
Bears were spotted in two locations in Raleigh this week, according to police. The first bear sighting was Monday morning near Lead Mine Road. The second sighting happened Thursday afternoon near Lassiter Mill Road. In both cases, no injuries were reported, and the bear went back into the woods without issue.
Raleigh resident Brandon Yow took video of a bear in his backyard.
"My first instinct was to go inside because I wanted to make sure there was not a mother bear around," he said. "The bear came up on our deck, sniffed around -doing bear things."
Yow said the sighting only lasted about five minutes.
Bears are the largest wild mammal in North Carolina. Seeing one near you or your home can be both exciting and startling.
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission officials offer these tips to bear-proof around your home:
Never feed or approach bears: Intentionally feeding bears or allowing them to find anything that smells or tastes like food teaches bears to approach homes and people looking for more. Bears will defend themselves if a person gets too close, so don’t risk your safety and theirs!
Secure food, garbage and recycling: Food and food odors attract bears, so don’t reward them with easily available food, liquids, or garbage.
Remove bird feeders when bears are active: Birdseed and grains have lots of calories, so they’re very attractive to bears. Removing feeders is the best way to avoid creating conflicts with bears.
Never leave pet food outdoors: Feed pets indoors when possible. If you must feed pets outside, feed in single portions and remove food and bowls after feeding. Store pet food where bears can’t see or smell it.
Clean and store grills: Clean grills after each use and make sure that all grease, fat and food particles are removed. Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.
Alert neighbors to bear activity: See bears in the area or evidence of bear activity? Tell your neighbors and share information on how to avoid bear conflicts. Bears have adapted to living near people; now it’s up to us to adapt to living near bears.
Black bears tend to be shy and non-aggressive towards humans. If you spot a bear nearby, officials advise staying calm and not to approach, surround or corner the bear. If you are close enough to the bear to notice a change in its natural behavior, back away slowly. Once you are a safe distance away, officials say making a lot of noise will scare the bear away.
Bear sightings should be reported to the local police department. The Wildlife Resources Commission will typically not trap and relocate bears unless human safety is threatened.
