Bear crossing on Clements Ferry Road

Imagine peering out of your window expecting to see a couple of songbirds pausing for an evening snack and instead you spot a black bear standing on his hind legs, eating birdseed just inches from your home!

This scenario, while more probable in mountain regions, is not a very common occurrence in the Lowcountry. During the past two weeks, however, bear sightings have been on the rise.

A resident of the Cain Crossing neighborhood, located near Clements Ferry Road and Highway 41 saw just such a scene with a bear from inside her home. The bear was also seen exploring near her porch.

Days later, more black bear sightings occurred at Spring Hollow Drive in the Marshes at Cooper River neighborhood, also located off of Clements Ferry Road, and in the Rivertown neighborhood off of Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the American black bear can be found in the Francis Marion and Sumter National forests.

“Although you are more likely to encounter a bear on the Sumter National Forest’s Andrew Pickens District in the South Carolina mountains, bears are still occasionally sighted in the state’s coastal forest, the Francis Marion,” stated the agency.

If you encounter a bear near your home, don’t run.

“Bears react in a fight or flight situation,” advised Darion Hansen, owner of Hansen’s Wildlife Removal, based in Charleston. “Back away slowly, put your hands in the air, and stay calm.”

Hansen said that people who live near the Francis Marion Forest should consider limiting food sources that can attract the bears.

“Store all garbage inside until trash day, when you can wheel it out to the curb for immediate collection.”

The U.S. Forest Service also suggests keeping pet food indoors and to remove bird feeders from April through November.

Other tips include keeping outdoor grills clean, picking fruit from trees as it ripens and not leaving fruit on the ground, and making sure you have bear-proof bee hives, compost piles, and gardens with fencing.

Hansen said that a spray can be purchased to deter bears, but consumers must educate themselves on how to use it properly during an encounter.

“It should only be used if a bear charges,” he said. “Using the spray, aim low so a cloud forms around the animal to immobilize it, then seek indoor shelter quickly.”