TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Tuscaloosa residents are on high alert after a black bear was spotted in a neighborhood near McWright's Ferry Road.
Kathy Carnes Buchalter's Ring doorbell detected motion outside of her home in the Oakchase neighborhood. When viewing the camera footage, she was shocked by what triggered the alert.
"At first I thought it was a large black dog," Buchalter said. "Then when I zoomed in, I realized it was a bear."
Her security camera caught on tape what the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources told her might be the first bear sighting in Tuscaloosa's city limits.
"It's incredible! I was stunned," Buchalter said.
As a Druid City native, Buchalter knew Tuscaloosa City Council President Kip Tyner and her district's Councilman Norman Crow were who she needed to contact to find out what to do next.
"I was taken aback," Tyner said.
Until Saturday, the only black bear residents were familiar with was Tuscaloosa High School's former mascot. However, Tyner recognized there's a big difference between a student in a bear costume and a real-life bear, leading to him issuing a warning on Facebook.
"I thought about all of the people like me who have outdoor animals and for the safety of the people," Tyner said.
ADCNR told Buchalter that black bears will travel away from their normal homes during mating season which ends in July, according to Outdoor Alabama. As of now, it's unclear if the bear was born nearby or if it was passing through.
Several half-eaten pears cover the area around Buchalter's fence, leading her to believe her neighbor's fruit trees caught the bear's attention.
She also believes Saturday was not the first time the cub stopped by. Seemingly fresh cub prints after a rainy day indicate the bear might have moved into the neighborhood.
"He clearly has been back," Buchalter said.
ADCNR is expected to make a trip to Tuscaloosa to track down the bear. Until then, Tyner hopes residents take precautions such as watching their kids play outside and keeping pets indoors.
"The bear is probably hungry and a little scared. People just need to call authorities if they see it and not try and do anything themselves," Tyner said. "I hope it all solves itself out and there's a happy ending for the bear and the people."
If you do spot a black bear, Tyner said call the city's animal control if you live in city limits. If you live in the county, call the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.