three-legged-bear-spotted-tennessee

Three Legged Bear Spotted in Tennessee

A bear sighting in Tennessee isn’t the most unusual sighting. However, one with less than its usual four legs isn’t something you see every day. Though uncommon, according to Jody Williams at Help Asheville Bears, this isn’t the first time they’ve seen three-legged bears roaming the city. According to Williams, 36 three-legged bears have been spotted since 2019.

“It’s typically a snare trap which is a trap that only tightens it never loosens it only gets tighter,” he said. “Cutting off the circulation and the bear in either scenario is going to gnaw off the rest of its limb.”

Not only that but missing a limb makes it more difficult to climb trees or take care of their cubs. And according to Tennessee Trapping Regulations, using a bear trap is illegal. However, Williams believes that hunters are using these traps to sell parts of them on the black market.

People like Williams wish to continue raising awareness so these bears aren’t caught in illegal traps, for the sake of the animal, and because of the law.

Massive Black Bear Running Through a Virginia Neighborhood

Tennessee might be used to seeing a black bear from time to time, but these Virginians don’t seem to be. At least in a suburban neighborhood. Although the state is not completely free of these animals, one of the many places we prefer these bears to frolic somewhere else is in our residential neighborhood.

According to NPS, there are between 5,000 and 6,000 black bears in Virginia. Shenandoah National Park is a popular place to spot these animals. Believe it or not, the state even recognizes the national park as a bear residence. Bikers, campers, or backpackers must always be on the lookout for black bears as campsites are one of their favorite spots for a free buffet.

Speaking of food, the animal appeared to be pretty healthy in size, not to mention a full coat of shiny black fur. This was a bit of a surprise because, during hibernation, male bears often lose between 15 and 30 percent of their body fat. Females lose up to 40 percent.

Since bears have started coming out of hibernation, they are more willing to take a longer journey to find food. These include human-owned properties such as trash cans, bird feeders, and garages.

In the video, while possibly two drivers cruise down a street in Roanoke, a happy black bear runs across the street without a care in the world. When it stops at a second fence, it looked back at the driver as they safely take off. Thankfully, the two people were safe in their car and the bear did not look to be in any danger. They’re also lucky that the animal appeared to have no interest in catching up to the car.