Fox 4 News reported on a sighting of a black bear at a gas station in Texas.
What's happening?
The news station shared footage of the incident to its Instagram account (@fox4news).
"A black bear was spotted at a gas station in Savoy, Texas, recently," the video description stated. "Texas Parks and Wildlife has confirmed the sightings."
The brief clip shows the animal walk out from behind the corner of the building. It goes toward the gas pumps, gets spooked, and runs back the way it came.
The video might also offer insight as to why the bear was there. Unlike the classic image of a chubby, well-fed bear, this one seemed dangerously thin — so much so that it's difficult to identify the animal at first. Animals that boldly approach human developments are often there in search of food.
"So sad," one commenter said.
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"Skinny — nowhere to go. Absolutely heartbreaking," another wrote.
Why is this bear's behavior important?
When animals have plenty of wild space to roam undisturbed, human encounters are rare. However, the more that people and urban development encroach on habitats, the more people and animals are coming face to face in ways that are unsafe.
In a perfect world, it wouldn't be a problem for a bear to come looking for a snack, but this behavior poses a risk for both humans and animals.
As the video demonstrates — with one customer narrowly missing an encounter with the bear — animals that spend too much time near humans are always risking dangerous encounters. When those happen, injuries are possible on both sides. And because of that possibility, a bear or other animal that approaches humans sometimes needs to be put down to eliminate the risk.
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Definitely 👍 In other words, letting wild animals get too comfortable around people runs counter to the mission of protecting them in the long run.
What can I do to prevent risky wildlife encounters?
If you live in an area with bears or other problematic wildlife, such as coyotes, make sure to secure your trash using a tamper-proof container with a latching lid. Don't leave food outside, and when you camp, make sure all food and trash is stored properly until you're ready to pack it out.
Keep a respectful distance from any wildlife, especially predators and large herbivores, but also small animals that can carry diseases. Report any unusual animal encounters to local wildlife authorities.
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