SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A man shot and killed a bear that broke into his Sevierville home Sunday, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said.
Around 1:30 p.m., an elderly man was asleep when he heard noises from his kitchen, the TWRA stated. He got up to investigate and found a yearling black bear that had broken in through a screen door. According to the man, the same bear had recently broken into a nearby outbuilding as well.
The bear left the home but wouldn’t leave the man’s property, so he shot it, and it later died. A TWRA wildlife officer determined that no violations had occurred.
The TWRA said it is unusual for black bears to go into occupied houses, but it can happen if people keep feeding them, either intentionally or unintentionally through unsecured garbage, birdseed or pet food. The area has had reoccurring problems with unsecured trash, resulting in home entries, car break-ins and even injuries to humans, the TWRA said.
“This homeowner did not want to take this action but felt it was necessary to protect his safety,” TWRA officials said. “Under TWRA’s human–bear conflict matrix, a bear that enters a residence would be captured and humanely euthanized.”
The TWRA reminded people that even if someone does the right thing, they can still have bear problems if other people are feeding them. According to its website, bears that are attracted to human food sources often have short lives. It recommended that people visit BearWise.org to learn how to live responsibly in bear country.
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