In a peculiar incident captured by a surveillance camera at a household in New Hampshire, United States, a black bear was seen entering the front yard of the house. The bear went as far as courteously ringing the doorbell to check if the homeowners were present before roaming around the yard, seemingly attempting to access the nearby hot tub.
The footage circulating online shows the young bear surveying the patio before leaning in to sniff the doorbell carefully with its nose. It then stood on its hind legs and tapped the doorbell with its claws, producing a faint ringing sound. The bear peered inside from the outside, almost as if waiting for someone to answer the door.
After a while, it retreated and then proceeded to explore other areas of the patio. The bear stood tall upon seeing the hot tub, placing its paws on the tub cover and sniffing it with its nose. Seeing no further movement, the bear seemed to give up and walked towards a secluded part of the spacious yard.
Local resident Jay Lievens shared on Facebook, “At least it was polite enough to ring the doorbell and check if we were home.”
The Fish and Game Department of New Hampshire confirmed that the only bear species in the state is the black bear, with an estimated population ranging between 4,800 to 5,000 bears, averaging one bear per 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers).
The department urges people not to feed bears or satisfy their needs through improper food or trash storage practices. Experience in the state shows that such actions may lead to increased property damage, potential conflicts between bears and humans, and even result in bears displaying inappropriate behaviors, ultimately requiring their removal.
The department emphasizes the potential danger posed by black bears. While they are capable of killing humans, such incidents are extremely rare. The last recorded fatal bear attack in New Hampshire dates back to 1784. Like all wild animals, black bears should be treated as unpredictable creatures and precautions should be taken.
If encountering a bear, individuals are advised to maintain a distance and make their presence known through clapping, talking, singing, or other sounds. Avoid running away, avoiding eye contact, or turning your back to the bear, as the bear may perceive these as signs of weakness and may attack.
Bears can run faster, swim quicker, and climb higher than humans. In the event of a black bear attack, it is recommended to fight back rather than play dead.
Previously, in May 2023, a similar amusing incident occurred in West Virginia, United States, where a black bear rang a doorbell in the middle of the night and then swiftly ran off, reminiscent of a mischievous prank, leaving the homeowner bewildered and amused.