Just call him (or her) ‘Bear’y. That would be a fitting name for this black bear which has taken a liking to Barry Lipsitz’s yard in Cornelia.
Lipsitz lives at the intersection of Old Cleveland Road and Old Athens Highway, across the street from Green Mountain Village apartments.
He first saw the bear hanging out in his yard late Wednesday night. Early Friday, what appears to be the same bear, returned. The pre-dawn visitor was more brazen this time, walking right up to the house, across the patio into the shrubs.
This video shows a time lapse of the bear from 4:03 a.m. to 5:56 a.m. on February 23.
Lipsitz followed officials’ advice and contacted the Department of Natural Resources. “DNR told me to open a window and yell and it will scare him away,” he says. “I’m just going to set off my burglar alarm on purpose and scare him off (hopefully).”
This is the time of year when black bears start foraging for food and mating. Bear sightings in Habersham are on the rise. A number of Now Habersham readers have reported seeing them in recent weeks.
READ Black bear sightings rise as spring approaches
If you see a bear in your neighborhood, you should report it to the DNR office in Gainesville. Their number is 770-535-5700.
