A hungry bear raided the home of a Simsbury family, leaving a family member shaken and barricaded in the closet, NBC Connecticut (@nbcconnecticut) reported on TikTok.
@nbcconnecticut A Simsbury family had an unexpected and unwelcome houseguest when a bear broke into their home, rummaged through food, and left only after being scared off by police. The same bear returned the following morning, prompting wildlife officials to set a trap in hopes of capturing the bold intruder. #simsbury #bears #connecticut #animals #nbcct ♬ original sound - nbcconnecticut
What happened?
The bear invasion happened on a Sunday in late September, which coincides with the hyperphagia season when bears eat excessively to prepare for the winter.
According to the NBC report, the homeowner, Michele Lemis, had just gotten home and found the bear tearing through the front of her house.
"The bear broke through her screen door, ripped out her air conditioning that was in [the] window, and then crawled into her house," the NBC reporter narrated.
Lemis quickly warned her 17-year-old daughter, who barricaded herself in the closet.
"I heard him walk down the hallway a little bit and I just hear heavy breathing, and I'm like, 'oh boy,'" she said. "I went into the closet and I sat there and waited. And my knees were shaking a little bit," she admitted.
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It wasn't until the police showed up to scare the bear away that the bear finally left — but not before raiding the kitchen and leaving muddy paw prints all over the doors.
"He ate a jar of mayonnaise, Nutella, and took my new crunchy grapes," Lemis said tearfully, prompting a few TikTok commenters to giggle.
"It got personal with the crunchy grapes," one commenter laughed.
The bear returned the following day, looking for more food. Fortunately, the bear was not able to enter.
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Always 👍 Why are human-wildlife interactions concerning?
Wildlife — including apex predators — tend to go to great lengths to avoid human encounters, American Scientist found. Increased human-wildlife interactions like this scary bear invasion suggest there is an environmental imbalance or disruption of natural habitats and resources that is forcing wildlife closer to humans.
The increase in global extreme weather events, for example, which scientists believe are driven by rising global temperatures, brought on by burning dirty fuels for energy, destroys natural habitats, reduces food availability, and endangers both wildlife and humans. Human activity degrades the cultural biodiversity of animals, leaving them less prepared to adapt to new changes.
What can I do to help?
Reducing human-wildlife interactions requires addressing the environmental imbalances that encourage close proximity.
For example, we can reverse the effects of habitat destruction by creating and protecting designated conservation areas for wildlife. You can support pro-climate candidates who favor policies and initiatives that encourage progressive conservation efforts.
When encountering wildlife in natural habitats, always try to maintain a safe distance and refrain from feeding wildlife.
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