Black bear spotted roaming around Nashville

• Images were even shared on the East Nashville Facebook page, where a member said the bear was spotted near Riverside Drive.

Be smart: Matthew Norman, Davidson County wildlife officer for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, tells Axios the bear is probably an adolescent male recently nudged out of the care of his mother.

• Think of this bear as a recent college grad with a journalism degree.
• Black bears are not dangerous if they are left alone, so Norman says the best thing to do if you spot one is to stay away.
• He suggests making sure your trash cans are secure so the bear doesn't think he can hang around scrounging for food.

What he's saying: "He's most likely looking for a place he can call home around other bears, probably in east Tennessee or eastern Kentucky," Norman says, adding that the TWRA is tracking the bear as it passes through Music City.

Jokes: The excitement of the black bear is even producing some good old-fashioned bear jokes, including this zinger from state Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville): "Thanks to gerrymandering, this bear is easily making his way through three US congressional districts in a single day. Welcome to HD55, buddy!"