A South Carolina woman's routine walk to let her dogs out turned into a frightening reminder that dangerous wildlife encounters can happen right at home.
Video footage showed a large black bear had crossed her yard and gotten close to her house — only a few feet from her bedroom window.
What happened?
The first clue appeared Sunday morning when White noticed damage in the backyard before she knew what had caused it.
"I got up in the morning, Sunday morning, to let the dogs out like I do every morning, and I looked over at the gate, and it was just halfway lying on the ground," White said.
Security video showed the animal on the property around 10:40 p.m. Saturday, June 27, according to WMBF News. The bear reportedly yanked the gate off its hinges, knocked over a bird feeder, and was later seen licking it.
White told the outlet the bear's proximity to her bedroom made the incident especially troubling. She has removed the feeder out of caution and thinks nearby development and tree-clearing may be driving bears closer to houses.
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"I shook for about an hour uncontrollably; I could not believe that this had happened," White stated.
She also commented on the extreme proximity of the bear seen in the security footage.
"My bedroom is right in the back there, and the dogs were with me," she said. "They bark at every mosquito that goes by; I didn't hear a thing."
Why does it matter?
Human activity can alter wildlife behavior, and sightings like this can raise safety concerns. They can extend to different animals and locations as well, such as when an alligator sighting in Texas neighborhoods caused alarm among residents.
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As neighborhoods expand and wooded areas are cleared, animals such as black bears can lose habitat and begin moving through developed areas more often. At the same time, easy food sources — including bird seed, garbage, and pet food — can lure them even closer to homes.
Residents may fear for their children, pets, and property, while bears that grow comfortable around humans can face dangerous consequences of their own if conflicts become more common.
For a hungry bear like this one, a bird feeder can be a strong invitation to linger near windows, doors, and family living spaces.
What can I do?
To make yards less appealing to bears, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said residents should remove bird feeders for at least two weeks and keep trash secured if there is a nearby bear sighting.
If a bear finds food once, it may return looking for more.
Bringing in feeders, storing garbage in sturdy containers, cleaning outdoor cooking areas, and keeping pet food indoors are smart safety measures to reduce the chances of another encounter.
It is also advised to stay alert during the early morning and evening hours, when wildlife may be more active, and to keep pets close if bears have been spotted nearby.
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