CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Another black bear has been spotted roaming in Middle Tennessee.

A young bear was spotted Friday morning in Joelton near Anderson Lane.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency received multiple calls reporting bear sightings along Ridge Circle near Interstate 24.

Back in June, multiple black bears were seen in Sumner County. One bear died after it was hit by a car along Vietnam Veterans Boulevard in Gallatin. Then another bear was picked up on a trail camera in Cottontown.

“Having bears popping up here in Middle Tennessee is somewhat of a conservation success story,” TWRA Public Relations Director Emily Buck said. “As the population grows in East Tennessee, they’re going to make their way more so across the state.”

Buck reminded the public that bears used to roam all of Tennessee. She said their arrival back into Middle Tennessee is a good sign with some of them possibly even coming from neighboring state.

Buck added that bears being hit by cars is statistically more common after relocation, and far more common in East Tennessee, where bears remain more prominent.

You should never approach a bear but in rural areas, you should secure any food attractants, like deer or bird feeders, in your yards. Residents should keep small pets inside their homes if a bear is known to be nearby.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/black-bear-spotted-in-cheatham-county/