Black bear caught on video going for a swim in Asheville
By WLOS Staff
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ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — A black bear in Asheville decided to go for a quick swim, and it was all caught on video.
Elaine Bailey says her family was having dinner when she noticed the bear crossing the Swannanoa River, which runs behind her house.
She said she moved to Asheville from England eight years ago and has seen bears crossing the river often.
“We are used to bears crossing here and live among them,” Bailey said. “We keep a respectful distance with each other.”
Another video Bailey shared shows the bear climbing out of the water and into her garden before shaking off the excess water.
Wildlife experts at the WNC Nature Center tell News 13 that as temperatures start to rise, mountain residents will often see the bear population moving around and searching for food.
Here are some tips from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission website when encountering bears: If you are one of the lucky people to have encountered the bear, observe it at a safe distance and appreciate the opportunity to see one of North Carolina’s largest native mammals. Don’t run away. Make the bear aware of your presence speaking in an assertive voice, clap your hands, wave your arms above your head to try to make yourself look bigger and make a lot of noise. Back up and slowly walk away. Keep children nearby. Keep pets locked up. Don’t approach a bear. Never surround or corner a bear. If you happen to meet a bear at close range, back away slowly and make lots of noise. Never feed bears or any wild animals, even if they look hungry or tame. Take extra precautions not to feed bears accidentally — bears are attracted to garbage, food scraps, pet food and many other forms of human food. Keep such foods locked away from bears in strong, safe places.
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