Earlier this week, a black bear was spotted in various places on Signal Mountain, where bear sightings are fairly uncommon.
Sightings within the town of Signal Mountain occurred Tuesday on the 1100 block of Ridgeway Avenue, near the Town Hall complex, and on the 500 block of Timberlinks Drive, Sgt. David Holloway of the Signal Mountain Police Department said by phone.
McCoy Farm and Gardens, located nearby in the town of Walden, closed Tuesday "out of an abundance of caution" after a black bear was spotted on the property that morning, according to its Facebook page.
Other sightings were reported by residents on social media in Walden's Ridge neighborhoods Tuesday.
Citizens who see a bear should inform the Police Department or the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Holloway said, adding that no sightings have been reported since Tuesday afternoon.
"We probably have a dozen bears that go across these mountains a year just in transit, because they migrate," Holloway said. "But it's not a regular thing for us to see a black bear, especially one that big, so it shocked us, too, but at the same time, I believe our residents have done the right thing and left him alone or her alone."
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The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency press office did not respond to an email Wednesday.
Holloway said he is not a bear expert, but he advises citizens against approaching or feeding bears.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time, the bear is going to try to move away from you," Holloway said.
Contact Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6508.