Bear Spotted in West Cobb

A black bear was seen in the western part of Cobb County in the Due West Road area near the West Hampton Subdivision. 

The bear was caught on a trail camera as it was eating bird feed in someone's backyard, according to a release from Cobb County police. Several photos were taken between 8:30 and 11:00 pm on Sunday, and one is attached to this article.

Although there were no conflicts involving the bear, police are asking that pets be kept on leashes.

Bear sightings in West Cobb aren't common, but there have been reports of them during this time of the year, the release says.

"Most problems can be resolved through simple actions, such as temporarily taking down bird feeders, taking in pet food, or storing garbage in an area unavailable to bears, like a garage," the release says. "Removing or making attractants unavailable to bears is a critical step in resolving bear/human conflicts."

It continues: "It is equally important for people to be patient. It may take several days for the bear to learn that it is no longer going to be provided with a free meal."

A last resort would be capturing and relocating the bear, which would happen only if the bear becomes a nuisance or threat.

There are no recorded bear attacks on humans in Georgia, the release says.