‘Sure has great taste’: Bear ransacks Tennessee candy store four times in less than a month

Cutting down on sugar intake is a New Year’s resolution for many, but not for a bear in the south-eastern US state of Tennessee that ransacked a candy store for the fourth time since Christmas.

Glades Homemade Candies, which is located in the city of Gatlinburg, said in a Facebook post on Jan 10 that the “persistent bear is a challenge we urgently need to overcome”.

The candy store, which has operated in the area for 35 years, shared photos of the damage caused by the bear, including to the storefront and equipment inside the store.

The pictures show shattered glass on the floor, baking trays and confectionery strewn across the ground, and what appears to be dough spilling out from an opened tub.

“That bear sure has great taste! We never go to the smokies without visiting and buying your delicious candies,” commented one user on the store’s post, referring to the Great Smoky Mountains along the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

In a follow-up post on Jan 11, the store thanked people who had shared their concerns about the situation.

It added: “We have taken every reasonable precaution to prevent the bear from accessing our property, including keeping doors secured, implementing additional security measures and using bear-proof dumpsters.

“The situation was reported to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and has been turned over to the appropriate authorities for guidance and handling.”

In response to queries from People magazine, TWRA said it is aware of the situation and is working with the store to prevent further property damage and address safety concerns.

The magazine reported TWRA as saying that it uses a variety of tools to manage and reduce conflicts between humans and bears, including an equipment loan programme that provides devices such as “electric unwelcome mats”.

It added that the equipment is in high demand and cannot always be left in place for extended periods, according to People.

TWRA said it receives more than 1,000 calls about conflicts between humans and bears each year, reported People.

The store told news outlet WSMV that the damage caused by the bear the previous times was “much more minimal”.

This was the bear’s fourth visit to the store since Christmas, according to WSMV.

Black bears are common across Tennessee, and it is not uncommon to see them roaming in Gatlinburg.

On its website, TWRA referred to black bears as “one of Tennessee’s state treasures” and noted that they are rarely aggressive towards people.

It added that the bears are “very curious animals”, and that Tennessee residents and visitors should carefully manage sources of human food or garbage that might attract them.

The store expressed hope for the bear’s safe capture in its Facebook post.

“As Gatlinburg natives, we deeply respect and care for our bears, our natural environment and the Great Smoky Mountains,” it said.