Black Bear Spotted in Texas Neighborhood, How to Avoid an Encounter

A neighborhood near Alpine, TX, just north of Big Bend National Park was recently urged to lock their doors and secure all farm animals after reports of a wandering black bear were quickly spreading.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was quick to alert the community with a Facebook post:

The bear was seen wearing a research collar. It was apparently a part of a wildlife monitoring project that got a little too comfy with the nearby neighborhood while searching for food.

Members of the community were quickly urged to secure all attractants that could bring the bear too close for comfort.

What are Bear Attractants?

According to Texas A&M Agrilife, black bears are highly food-driven, pushing them to often invade human dwellings for search of a quick snack.

Because bears and humans like similar food, treats packed with sugars and fats are top of the list for these furry terrors. Other common attractants for black bears in neighborhoods include the following:

• Food left in kitchens and outdoor grills
• Bird feeders and outdoor food bowls
• Unsecured garbage cans/bags
• Livestock (sheep, chickens, bees, etc.)
• Crops like corn, melons and fruits

What Happens if You Encounter a Black Bear in Texas?

Congrats! You've come face-to-face with a Texas black bear. Unluckily for you, the bear most likely outweighs you and is about five times stronger than the average human, so fighting it one-on-one is pretty much ruled out.

If you are the one entering their territory, stay calm and slowly back away while maintaining eye contact. If a bear approaches you in the woods or in your backyard, then making loud noises by shouting or banging objects can be a good idea.

If that doesn't work and the black bear continues to approach, try making yourself look bigger. Raise your arms and start shouting. Remember, the bear wandered into YOUR territory, remind it that it isn't welcome.

If the bear charges you, try to stay calm and DO NOT RUN. This will just show them that you are prey and they'll just chase you down. Stand your ground and grab something hard as a weapon, bear spray would be helpful at this step.

It's crucial to know that, if a black bear engages in a physical conflict with you, DO NOT PLAY DEAD. As silly as it sounds, punching, kicking, and hitting the bear with any hard object you can find is your best bet to ward off an attack.