RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WGNS) – Middle Tennessee isn’t imagining things — black bears are showing up in places where folks haven’t seen them in generations. All around sightings are dramatically rising in Rutherford County, neighbors in Wilson, Cannon, Coffee, and Bedford counties too. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) says this trend isn’t a fluke. It’s the natural expansion of a healthy, growing bear population reclaiming its historic range.
So, the big question floating around Rutherford County right now is simple: Are bears dangerous?
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says black bears do not view humans as prey. They’re shy, smart, and wired to avoid people. The danger doesn’t come from the bear itself. It comes from what the bear finds…