Recent black bear sightings on the Gulf Coast

Black bear sightings on the Mississippi Gulf Coast have been raising concerns over the past couple weeks through social media.

Two weeks ago, a video of a black bear on a tree outside a home off 603 on Standard Dedeaux Road in Hancock County surfaced on Facebook. On that same post, a woman also reported having seen a black bear on Tucker Road near exit 50 in Jackson County. The most recent encounter with a black bear was reported in Gulfport in the area of Ollie Road off Lorraine.

News 25 spoke to Gulfport Sgt. Clayton Fulks. He tells News 25 what you should do if you see a bear. “While it seems like there’s been an increase in bear sightings on social media, this is not an uncommon thing. Every year it seems that a bear is viewed somewhere on the Gulf Coast, just keep in mind they tend to be non-aggressive and just keep your distance. If it’s doing something that seems like a nuisance then contact wild life and fisheries and let them know.”

According to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, bear conflicts generally revolve around food so it is important to keep your yard food free in order to keep the bears away.