Nashville black bear sightings are likely to rise

• Such sightings are rare right now, but Nashvillians were captivated last June by a bear making its way through the area.
• That bear was reportedly hit by a vehicle, then wandered off and is believed to be alive.

What he's saying: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Black Bear Coordinator Dan Gibbs wants people to learn how to coexist with black bears now.

• "People have to understand when you have bears in the area, you have to do things different. Don't wait until they start showing up to start preparing how to live with them," Gibbs told Humbles.

Details: A black bear is basically "a 300-pound raccoon," a TWRA spokesperson said.

• That means bears are scavenging for food they can find in trash cans and left on grills or even bird seed.

By the numbers: There are 5,000 to 6,000 black bears in Tennessee, mainly in the eastern part of the state, according to Gibbs.

Be smart: Experts warn that black bears can easily fit through an average pet door or make their way under a home's crawl space.

• Bears also may target campers and RVs. That means it's important to thoroughly clean scraps and food smells so as not to tempt fate with an encounter.
• If you happen to run into a black bear, Humbles reports that you should hold your ground, wave your arms and yell "Hey Bear" until it leaves.

Read Humbles' full story.