Black bear blues: Public watches as South Nashville bear tries to survive in the big city

Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean
Updated ·4 min read
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It's a story of love, loss and the call of the wild, and one bear's instinct to live.

The journey of a bear roaming South Nashville this week may just have a happy ending as it expands its footprint, pawing to survive.

More: South Nashville bear hit by vehicle along Harding Place, believed to be alive

Spencer Peter, a biologist with the North American Bear Center in Ely, MN, said the bear roaming South Nashville is likely a yearling male who was kicked out of his family's habitat by his mother, who Peter said will expel cubs and yearlings during mating season for their protection.

"If a mother encounters a male when she has offspring, and the male can tell if those are his sire or not, he will most often times attempt to kill them in order to bring her back into heat," Peter said.

"She is torn between an urge to mate and an urge to keep caring for her offspring."

The South Nashville bear is reaching mythic status. One minute it's roaming the neighborhoods of South Nashville; the next it is surviving being hit by a vehicle.

Barry Cross, a wildlife information specialist for Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, said the bear, who has been at-large for much of the week, is alive and heading south.

Bear necessities

Peter said the bear is likely learning how to find food for the first time on its own. He said the bear will likely stick around the area if it finds a consistent food source.

"I don't know how far south he's gone, but he was actually heading back towards Williamson County (as of Thursday), which is good, because it's moving away from more heavily populated areas," Cross said.

The Town of Smyrna reported on social media the bear was spotted Friday in the Green Tree area near Rock Springs road.

Where the bear came from, or where it's going will remain a mystery in bear lore forever.

Cross said it's possible the bear came from East Tennessee, stumbled through the Cumberland Plateau and made its way toward Brentwood then into South Nashville.

Leaving its paw print in Nashville

Another scenario, Cross said, is the bear came from the south and slowly tracked its way into Middle Tennessee.

Likely kicked out of its home, the bear is now learning to be independent.

"It's just going to be about eating food and trying to avoid danger," Peter said.

If the bear is able to return home, it will have quite the tale to tell.

TWRA reported the bear was struck by a vehicle this week near Harding Place. It was believed to have survived and was back on the move, either nursing an injury or looking for a rural area to call home, said TWRA biologist Joy Sweaney.

Peter said the bear would likely shake off the vehicle crash easily, saying many bears hunted with lower caliber rounds survive after being shot through the lung.

So for Nashvillians wondering if the bear is fine after the crash. It probably is.

Oh, and if you encounter the bear, experts say don't provoke it.

What to know if you encounter the bear

  • Never feed or approach bears.

  • If you do, make yourself tall and as scary as possible.

  • Make funny noises, shake your car keys. Black bears are sensitive to loud noises.

  • Do not store food, garbage or other recyclables in areas accessible to bears.

  • Do not feed birds or other wildlife where bears are active.

  • Feed outdoor pets a portion size they will completely consume during each meal and securely store pet foods.

  • Keep grills and smokers clean and stored in a secure area when not in use.

  • Talk to family and neighbors when bear activity is occurring in your area.

"Black bears are skittish, they usually will readily flee," Peter said. "If you encounter one, make yourself as big and scary as you can, and make noise."

Peter said black bears will not likely attack, but if they do, fight back, because black bears will attack you until you're dead.

Peter said black bears can eat between 5,000 to 10,000 calories a day to survive, mostly on a diet of 90% vegetation and 10% insects, rodents and other animals.

"Often times they will choose what's easiest," Peter said. "Chasing down other animals is tough for them, they're not well adapted to the pursuing part."

Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on Twitter @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: The bear roaming South Nashville heading south as search for food continues