Video: Bears Seen Strolling Through Alpharetta Yards, Back Porch

ALPHARETTA, GA — Neighbors in Alpharetta were in for a surprise Sunday when they checked their security camera video and found bears roaming through their front yard and back porches.

The first of two videos on Sunday show a black bear walking around the front yard and cul-de-sac of an Alpharetta neighborhood near River Trace, the person who uploaded it said.

A second video as seen on the Neighbors app shows a bear climbing the stairs to a back porch before leaving the yard. The person who uploaded the video says, "bear went here looking for food. He sniffed the dumpsters and made his way."

Are these the same bears seen earlier this year strolling, and sometimes swimming, around Johns Creek and Alpharetta? No one knows for sure.

But what is known, is that if seen, do not approach or attempt to capture the bear. Police advise to leave the bear alone if you see it.

Here are some tips from Bearwise:

1. Never feed bears: Intentionally feeding bears or allowing them to find anything that smells or tastes like food teaches bears to approach homes and people looking for more. Bears will defend themselves if a person gets too close, so don't risk your safety and theirs.
2. Secure food, garbage and recycling: Food and food odors attract bears, so don't reward them with easily available food, liquids or garbage.
3. Remove bird feeders when bears are active: Birdseed and grains have lots of calories, so they're very attractive to bears. Removing feeders is the best way to avoid creating conflicts with bears.
4. Never leave pet food outdoors: Feed pets indoors when possible. If you must feed pets outside, feed in single portions and remove food and bowls after feeding. Store pet food where bears can't see or smell it.
5. Clean and store grills: Clean grills after each use and make sure that all grease, fat and food particles are removed. Store clean grills and smokers in a secure area that keeps bears out.
6. Alert bear activity to neighbors: See bears in the area or evidence of bear activity? Tell your neighbors and share info on how to avoid bear conflicts. Bears have adapted to living near people; now it's up to us to adapt to living near bears.

Black bears once roamed over all of America's forested lands. But after European settlement, their numbers and habitat in the Southeast dwindled. Thanks to new attitudes and enlightened conservation and management efforts, black bears are making a dramatic comeback over much of their historic home range.

Now that bears are returning to areas they used to call home, it's up to people and communities to learn how to peacefully coexist with these animals.

Today, the Southeast is home to more than 70,000 black bears, with Bearwise estimating 5,100 in Georgia.

Ring, the owner of the Neighbors app, is a Patch advertiser. Patch received no compensation for this article.