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SEVIERVILLE – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is investigating an incident involving a black bear that scratched a woman sitting on her porch on Atwood Rd. in Sevierville this afternoon.

At around 4:30 p.m., a 90-year-old woman was sitting on a porch swing when she was surprised by a sow bear with three yearlings that came onto her porch. The woman began shaking a lawn chair in an attempt to scare them when the sow scratched her on the arm and the bears fled the area. The woman then drove herself to the hospital and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Because the sow bear caused human bodily injury, it has been euthanized but wildlife officers are monitoring the behavior of the yearlings. Area residents have not reported any prior nuisance issues with this group of bears.

If possible, always make your presence known while in bear country and defend yourself when confronted by a black bear.

Learn more about living responsibly with black bears at Bearwise.org