The video opens to a surprising scene: a black bear peeking in through the open door! Having used its mouth to turn the knob and get the door open, the black bear stands in the door frame, seemingly pleased with itself as it observes the inside of the house. As the black bear stares at the camera, mouth open, the woman, Susan, talks to it. If you were face to face with a bear who’d just entered your house, you would likely feel at least a bit nervous. However, no fear can be heard in the woman’s voice as she politely asks the bear to shut the door. She even talks to the bear as one would a child or beloved pet, referring to it as “sweetie” and “good boy”. The video then cuts to a new scene with the reporter standing in front of a forest. It is later made clear to be Susan’s property. Behind him, several more black bears rummage around the forest floor, clearly at home here. The video then returns to Susan’s footage from inside her home where the black bear is pawing at her carpet. She continues to ask the bear to close the door. Like humans, dogs, and several other types of animals, the black bear is able to understand Susan’s tone – even if it doesn’t understand her words exactly. It contemplates its decision of entering the house or leaving, scratching its head. Then, as if understanding that it had overstayed its welcome, the bear takes the knob in its mouth once more and shuts the door – all the way.
Why Do Bears Enter Homes?
There are many reasons that a bear may decide to enter a home. If a bear enters your home or campsite, they’re usually after one thing: food. From meat to garbage to camping supplies, we can bring a lot of different types of food into the bear’s habitat. If this food isn’t properly stored, the smell of it can spread quickly throughout the forest. This can cause a hungry bear to wander nearby, looking for a quick and easy meal. Because of the frequency of litter and human feeding, many bears have come to realize that human food is extremely nutrient-rich. It’s also easy to acquire. As a result, bears view this as a high-reward and low-risk food supply, making it all the more alluring. Another one of the most common reasons is that they’re curious. Our homes can be filled with different sounds and smells. As a result, curious and calm species like the black bear are prone to explore, as seen with Susan’s house and property. Although many black bears will not seek to attack humans, as seen in the video, this isn’t the case for all bears. If you live in an area where encounters are common, knowledge is important. Learning the proper ways to handle an encounter, like Susan did, is the best way to keep you – and the bear – safe.
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