Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
North Shelby County Black Bear is this summer’s social media sensation
Reading time: 2 minutes
A very curious Black Bear has become a social media sensation since he was spotted walking around neighborhoods in North Shelby County earlier this week.
Residents have seen the bear wandering from house to house looking like a prospective homebuyer or a teenager jumping a neighbor’s fence.
Here are videos and photos that have been posted online throughout the week, some real time sightings and funny AI posts.
About Black Bears in Alabama
Named Alabama’s state mammal by Governor Bob Riley in 2006, Black Bears once lived in every county in the state. Over the years, their numbers dwindled to such an extent that today they reside in only two areas of the Yellowhammer State — the Northeast corner (primarily near Little River Canyon and on Lookout Mountain) and in the Mobile and Washington County areas.
Thanks to efforts by the Alabama Department of Natural Resources and Conservation their numbers are growing.
So, how did this bear appear in Birmingham’s suburbs? Male bears, especially young ones, often go on walkabouts in the summer a hundred miles from their dens in North Alabama.
Because their numbers are increasing we should expect to see more sightings here in Birmingham in the future.
What should you do if you see a bear?
If you see a Black Bear, treat them like all wild animals, don’t try to touch them or give them food. They are not pets. Follow the Department of Conservation’s Bearwise guidance.
This is what they posted this week upon the news of the North Shelby County bear.
Have you seen the North Shelby bear this summer? Got photos or videos? Please share them with us email at hello@bhamnow.com or tag us on social media.
