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black bear drinking water from pond in cades cove

5 Black Bears in Gatlinburg Caught Playing in Pond (Watch the Video!)

We’ve shared plenty of videos of black bear sightings with you before, but we’ve never shared a video of 5 bears playing at once! Recently, a woman had some furry visitors come to her home in Gatlinburg. Not one, not two, but FIVE black bears stumbled onto her property to play in her pond. You can watch the video and learn more about black bears in Gatlinburg below!

5 Black Bears Playing in Pond Video

Many people who go to Gatlinburg hope to spot just one bear while they’re there, but can you imagine spotting five? A woman recently caught a video of a group of bears having fun in her backyard pond. The woman, Robin Sutherland, told WBIR that one bear crossed the road behind her house before leaving, then soon returned with his four friends! The five bears played and splashed in the small pond on Sutherland’s property. Eventually, Sutherland safely ran the bears off with a marine horn.

More About Black Bears in Gatlinburg

black bear family in gatlinburgAlthough it’s rare to see five bears at once on your vacation, it’s not uncommon to spot a black bear in Gatlinburg! If you do happen to see a bear while you’re in town, it’s helpful to know more about them. Here are some important things to remember about black bears in Gatlinburg.

  • Male black bears weigh about 250 pounds. While you may think that bears are cute and cuddly, it’s important to know that their behavior can be unpredictable, and the typical adult male weighs about 250 pounds. Females are generally smaller and weigh a little over 100 pounds. Keep in mind that bears can more than double their weight in the fall!
  • Bears have a keen sense of smell. This fact is extremely important to keep in mind. Bears have a strong sense of smell, which means it’s easy for them to smell human food and come after it. Be sure to throw away all trash in bear-proof cans and clean off crumbs from picnic tables, grills, etc.
  • Bears can run up to 30 miles per hour. That means you should never try to outrun a bear. A bear’s first instinct when it sees you running is to run after you. If you see a bear, you’ll want to move away slowly and sideways, so you can keep an eye on the bear.

Where to Find Bears in the Smoky Mountains

black bear in the smoky mountainsIf you’re hoping to spot a bear in the Smoky Mountains, there are a couple key places you can go. Open areas like Cades Cove are the best places to see bears, as well as in the trees along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. To guarantee you see a bear while you’re in the Smokies, plan a trip to Ober Gatlinburg to visit their Wildlife Encounter, or head to the Three Bears General Store to see its live bear habitat! Keep in mind that during the winter months, the bears hibernate, so your chances of seeing them are slim. However, you can still visit the bears at the Three Bears General Store!

If you loved the video above of the black bears in Gatlinburg playing in a pond, then you’ll love the videos we have of some of the other black bear sightings in the area! Take a look at these 7 adorable Gatlinburg black bear sightings.