After Sneaking Up On Virginia Gardener, 'Scaredy Bear' Scampers Away

GOOCHLAND, VA — Say you’re casually watering your garden and a stealth bear sneaks up from behind. What would you do? You’re not supposed to show fear, but it’s a black bear, and black bears are about five times stronger than humans. They can knock over a 300-or-so-pound boulder with the swipe of a single paw. And their 2 1/2-inch-long teeth are nothing short of imposing.

If you’re John Barr, of Goochland, you’re grateful to have encountered a bit of a “scaredy bear” with no inclination to ruin your fine day.

Video from Barr’s doorbell security camera recorded on Oct. 18 — you can watch it on WIRC, the Petersburg, Virginia, ABC affiliate that originally aired the story — shows the bear approaching with what looks like a confident stride.

But the moment Barr turned around, the bear books it, with a scramble rather than an amble back to the woods where it had come from. In those few seconds between spotting the bear and its retreat, Barr had decided to try to get to the safety of his house.

“Of course, by then he was gone,” he said, telling WIRC the bear was likely more scared of him than he was of it.

Barr said Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources officials told him the backyard intruder was “just a young bear who was moseying and sniffing, and really wasn’t paying attention.”

“And then they think that the reason he stopped right before he got to me, he realized I was, you know, a living thing and decided that wasn’t a good idea,” Barr said.

Their security video shows the curious young bear has visited Barr and his wife, Debra, before. She’s even named the little character Spencer.

Spencer Bear is a real thing (and so is Scaredy Bear).

“I thought it was funny when we had him the first time, but this one was much funnier,” Debra Barr told the TV station.

Black bears are plentiful in Virginia. As adults, they grow approximately 4 to 7 feet from nose to tail, and 2 to 3 feet high at the withers, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. In the wild, bears can live to be 30 years old.

The oldest documented female bear in Virginia was 30 when she was killed. The oldest male was 25, according to the wildlife department.

Not every encounter with a back bear ends as well as Barr’s did. The Agriculture Department’s Forest Service recommends being “bear aware” in areas where bears are common. Remain calm and don’t run, the Forest Service advises, and if you’re in a group with small children, pick them up.

Whether alone or in a group, face the bear and slowly walk away. If that doesn’t deter the animal, try to scare it away by making yourself look as large and intimidating as possible by stretching our arms overhead and making loud noises.

Bear spray, available at many outdoor retailers, can deter a charging bear.