Tourists capture stunning video as bear attempts to break into rental cabin: 'I'd ... be crying'

A tourist in the Great Smoky Mountains was greeted by an unexpected furry visitor when she looked out the window of her cabin's front porch.

What's happening?

"When a bear tries to break in our cabin," TikTok user ashlynn (@luvcid999) captioned her recent video from a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

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In the video, the bear paws at the window to the cabin's kitchen, biting at the lock in an attempt to get inside.

"I'd … be crying," one commenter said.

Bears like this one often approach homes looking for food, according to New York's Department of Environmental Conservation. Repeated access to human food makes these wild animals bolder and more willing to interact with humans. 

Why are unprovoked wild animal encounters important?

These interactions can be an indicator that natural food sources are scarce, noted San Diego-based exotic animal rescue Lions Tigers & Bears. Minimal food supply for bears can be caused by a variety of factors, such as habitat loss, human disturbance, or limited resources because of rising global temperatures.

Bears are what's known as a keystone species, meaning that they heavily influence the well-being of their ecosystem. They promote ecological diversity through seed dispersal and soil fertilization, and they help keep prey populations at a reasonable number.

As humans continue to encroach on these bear populations' natural homes to build more infrastructure, they jeopardize not only these predators but also the entire ecosystem that the bears maintain. While these creatures look cute and cuddly, bears becoming more comfortable to interact with residential communities puts both the humans living there and the bears themselves in unnecessary danger.

What's being done about wild animal encounters?

To limit the possibility of a bear dropping by, homeowners should keep tight lids on trash cans and eliminate any access to a food supply, whether it's bringing pet food inside or getting rid of a bird feeder in the yard.

Government agencies and wildlife nonprofits are also trying to address the root of the problem by investing in conservation efforts for wild bear populations and their habitats. The National Park Service enlists strategies like relocating bear populations in an effort to repopulate ecosystems in other parts of the country.

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For this TikToker in particular, though, it's best that she keep her distance if this encounter happens again. When wildlife approaches, it's best to stay far away and not further engage or disturb the animal.

"[You're] just all up in its face with your phone," one commenter lamented.

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