Scary video shows people running for lives as rogue bear shows up in busy shopping area: 'The wildlife have nowhere to go'

A black bear running through downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, sent pedestrians scrambling for safety in footage shared on Instagram by Daily Hourly (@dailyhourly).

What's happening?

The video shows a black bear racing across a street while pedestrians flee the area.

The incident occurred in Gatlinburg, a gateway city to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which sees millions of visitors annually.

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One commenter pointed to the root cause of the encounter: "They destroyed a mountain for Anakeesta and wonder why the wildlife have nowhere to go."

Why are human-bear conflicts concerning?

When bears enter populated areas, they can cause property damage, create safety hazards, and sometimes face lethal removal by wildlife officials.

These encounters often end badly for the bears. Once they become comfortable around humans, they rarely survive long.

The habitat destruction driving these conflicts threatens the biodiversity in the Smoky Mountains region. Black bears need large territories to thrive. As development fragments these spaces, bear populations face increased stress, reduced food sources, and genetic isolation.

This pattern disrupts entire ecosystems. Bears play important roles as seed dispersers and ecosystem engineers. Their decline affects plant communities, smaller mammals, and the overall health of mountain forests.

What's being done about human-bear conflicts?

Several organizations work to reduce human-bear conflicts through education and habitat protection. The Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association funds research on bear behavior and movement patterns to better understand how development affects wildlife corridors.

Communities can support solutions by backing wildlife-friendly development policies that preserve green corridors between natural areas. Install bear-proof garbage containers and remove bird feeders during active bear months to reduce attractants that draw bears into neighborhoods.

When visiting mountain communities, store food properly, maintain safe distances from wildlife, and choose businesses that follow bear-smart practices. These actions protect both human safety and bear survival and keep these animals part of the mountain ecosystem for generations to come.

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