A black bear caused a stir in a Gatlinburg, Tennessee, parking lot last week when it charged through a crowd of people. Onlookers who were capturing photos of the animal were heard shouting warnings to get into vehicles.
The incident, documented in a July 18 video, showed the bear moving through a populated area of the parking lot without directly engaging any bystanders.
Bear sightings are common in the vicinity of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which borders Gatlinburg. The National Park Service reports approximately 339 negative bear encounters annually in the park over the last decade, with many incidents going unreported.
Wildlife officials advise visitors in areas with high bear activity to remain in their vehicles, avoid feeding bears, park only in designated pull-offs, and prevent bears from approaching vehicles. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to an estimated 1,900 black bears, resulting in a population density of about two bears per square mile.