ASHEBORO N.C. (ACME NEWS) – This morning several residents reported seeing a black bear roaming around Asheboro, including on local woman, who captured the large animal on a doorbell camera.
Asheboro resident Lisa Brookes, who lives near Cliff Road, was notified by her Ring doorbell camera about an animal in her yard early this morning. When she checked her phone, she told Acme News, she almost couldn’t belive what she saw. “I said to my husband, ‘I think there is a bear in our yard!’ He thought I was crazy at first, then he looked and said, ‘Holy cow, you are right.”
Randolph County Emergency Services says they received a call from resident on Gardiner Road at 7:03 a.m. reporting a black bear heading towards Shannon Road.
Officers with the Asheboro Police Department, including Animal Control officers responded, but were unable to locate the bear.
Officals with Randolph County Emergency Serivces and the Asheboro Police Department say they are avoiding tracking or capturing the bear unless becomes a nuisance or a threat. They advise residents to stay alert and avoid interacting with the bear, but to report sightings to officals.
What to do if you see a Black Bear
“NEVER run from a bear. Don’t approach a bear – just quietly move away and leave the area. However, if a black bear does approach you, make yourself look big, make loud noises, clap your hands, and continue to back away,” says Jaime Sajecki, Black Bear Project Leader Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Black bears rarely become aggressive when encountered. However, it’s best to avoid bear encounters. If you encounter a black bear in a building or near a dumpster, experts say to give the bear a clear escape route and not avoid cornering it. Leave any doors open as you back away from the bear and if you find a bear in an building or garrage to not try to trap or lock it in. If you encounter a black bear in your backyard, experts say to make loud noises, shout, or bang pots and pans together to scare away the bear from a safe distance. When safe to do so, remove potential attractants for bears such as garbage, bird seed, or pet food and check your yard for bears before letting out your dog.
Black Bears in North Carolina
Black bears are currently found in about 60 percent of the total land area of North Carolina, according to the state Wildlife Resources Commission. Bear sightings are uncommon in the Piedmont region, but not unheard of. The black bear is the only bear species found in North Carolina or anywhere in the eastern United States. According to the NC Wildlife Resource Commission,
Learn more about black bears in North Carolina at the following links:
Black Bear (N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission)
Black Bear Fest, Facts and Feats (North Carolina Wildlife Federation)
If you have a photo or video of the bear, send it to us via email. Do not place yourself in danger to photograph or video the bear!
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