VIDEO: Black bear breaks through garage door window in search of food
By Kelly Doty
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A video of a black bear breaking into a western North Carolina homeowner’s garage serves as a reminder of the importance of being BearWise and the consequences of human habituation among bears.
Katie Regan, who lives near Beaverdam Road in North Asheville, said she heard what sounded like construction and went outside to investigate. That’s when she found that a bear had broken the glass pane of her garage door and climbed inside.
Cell phone video of the incident shows two bear cubs lingering in the driveway before the mother bear climbed back through the broken window pane to get back outside.
Regan said the bear was interested in the trash in the garage, and she accessed it “with flying colors.” Another video shows the aftermath of the break-in: a missing glass panel on the garage door and trash strewn on the ground. A third video shows the bear in the distance, tearing into a bag of trash.
Bear sightings are not uncommon in the neighborhood in the summertime, according to Regan, who said sightings were a weekly occurrence.
“This isn’t the first encounter we’ve had with this mama and her cubs, but it is the first time she broke into our home to access food,” she said.
Dangers of habituation, food conditioning in bears Viewer videos shared with News 13 in the past have shown bears entering homes and vehicles by opening doors. However, Ashley Hobbs with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) said bear break-ins through window panels and garage doors are the most common way bears enter homes.
Hobbs said during late summer and early fall, bears experience hyperphagia, which is a state of extreme appetite. During this time, bears significantly increase their food intake to prepare for colder winter months and will go to great lengths in search of something to eat.
NCWRC says when bears feed on unnatural food sources around human homes, like trash, pet food and birdseed, they may lose their fear of humans and become more likely to approach people. Wildlife officials say it’s a situation that rarely ends well for the bear and poses safety risks for humans.
The incident at Regan’s home isn’t the only recent report of a burgling bear in the Asheville area. On Aug. 18, the Reems Creek Fire Department reported a resident was injured after a bear entered their home through an unlocked door. N.C. Wildlife Resources initially said the bear had to be put down because of repeated incidents and the threat to human safety. After community outcry online, the state agency announced they would attempt to capture the bear (nicknamed “Dolly”) and temporarily relocate her to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro.
In Dolly’s case, wildlife officials said human habituation had made the bear unafraid of people and taught her that homes have food inside.
N.C. Wildlife said incidents like these serve as a reminder of why it’s important for people who live in bear country to be BearWise. Wildlife officials say they also show the dangers of human habituation and food conditioning in western North Carolina’s bears.
Taking steps to keep bears wild and not accustomed to people as sources of food is key to keeping bears and humans safe, NCWRC said. This includes never intentionally or unintentionally feeding bears by securing all garbage, removing bird feeders when bears are active and never leaving pet food outside.
“Appears to be a one-off” After reporting the incident to NCWRC, Regan said officials advised them to keep their trash and recycling bins outside in bear-proof containers moving forward to prevent future break-ins.
Hobbs confirmed they are working with Regan and that her home now has an unwelcome mat to deter the bear from approaching the home again.
“Currently this appears to be a one-off,” Hobbs said of the incident at Regan’s home. “Repeated forced entries are the threshold to require dispatching of the bear.”
Regan said she’s learned a lot about the detriments of habituation and the danger it poses to both humans and bears.
“Despite following proper protocol for bear safety, there’s always more I and we can learn,” she said. “I learned there’s nothing that a bear won’t do to feed herself and her babies.”
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