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Bear spotted in Signal Mountain area

A black bear sits in a tree while police attempt to keep it in place until wildlife authorities can arrive on scene in a residential neighborhood in Northeast Washington on June 9, 2023. A bear was reported in Signal Mountain this week. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
A black bear sits in a tree while police attempt to keep it in place until wildlife authorities can arrive on scene in a residential neighborhood in Northeast Washington on June 9, 2023. A bear was reported in Signal Mountain this week. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) A black bear sits in a tree while police attempt to keep it in place until wildlife authorities can arrive on scene in a residential neighborhood in Northeast Washington on June 9, 2023. A bear was reported in Signal Mountain this week. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

By Staff Report 1 min read

A bear was spotted in the Signal Mountain area, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has been notified, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

The public was advised not to play with, call out to, feed or otherwise interact with the bear. The safest option is to keep distant from the bear and slowly retreat if one encounters the animal. Feeding the animal, in particular, can lead to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency euthanizing bears that grow dependent on human handouts, authorities said.

While uncommon to the Signal Mountain area, bear sightings are on the rise in recent years, particularly as bears are no longer hibernating in their dens. To bear-proof a home, remove bird feeders from March to November, secure household waste, protect livestock with electric fences and clean and hide grills, according to bearwise.com. Once bears start roaming, they can wind up anywhere, from Signal Mountain to downtown, like in 2020 when a small black bear was euthanized.

— Compiled by Mason Edwards