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A black bear wandered into Gatlinburg, Tenn.’s 50th Christmas parade on Dec. 8 Days later, a black bear showed up in the same town, which is near Great Smoky Mountains This time, a man attempted to shoo away the bear by patting it on the rear end
After a black bear recently crashed a Christmas parade in Gatlinburg, another animal decided to get a better look at the Tennessee town.
On Dec. 8, during Gatlinburg’s 50th annual Christmas parade, a large black bear decided it was the perfect time to walk down the Tennessee town’s onlooker-lined main street.
In viral clips of the unexpected visitor, the crowd, filled with locals and tourists who traveled in for the festivities, seems relatively unfazed by the surprise animal guest. According to Gatlinburg.com, encounters with American black bears near the town are common since Gatlinburg is next to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Wild bear at a Christmas parade in Tennessee.
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The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) spoke to local news outlet 8WVLT and shared that the bear parade crasher is likely unafraid of human contact, which may lead to the bear being euthanized, since the bear could soon become used to approaching humans for food, which is dangerous for both humans and wildlife.
“The difference between a bear and a dog is that the dog will continue to come around for your affection, even if there isn’t a food reward involved. Bears don’t have that same gene to approach for affection,” Matt Cameron, a wildlife information specialist with The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, told the outlet.
While the bear did enter the parade route, it seemed to keep its distance from the people nearby, and the humans around it gave it space before it found its own way out of the fray.
Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case with close animal encounters. On Dec. 10, days after the Christmas parade incident, another black bear pawed into downtown Gatlinburg.
Footage from the second bear encounter shows a man attempting to “shoo” the bear off the road by approaching the animal and patting its rear end.
Bear interrupts Christmas parade in Gatlinburg.
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A viral video of the encounter shows the man walking up behind the bear as the animal tries to avoid people on the street and smacking it on the rear. In response, the bear turns around and lunges twice at the man harassing it, scaring the human off before causing any physical harm.
The scary close call is a reminder to Gatlinburg residents, and others in bear-populated areas, never to approach or bother a wild animal, even when it’s in the middle of Main Street.
Bears are a significant part of the Gatlinbug ecosystem, with about 1,500 living in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, according to the city’s official website. It may be tempting to get closer to a big, fluffy bear, but city officials urge against ever approaching a wild animal, and advise that you keep at least 150 feet between you and a wild bear.
Not only can harassing a wild bear cause bodily harm, but it can also result in fines and arrest, according to the site.