VIDEO: Bear attack two women caught on camera in Pigeon Forge, officials urge caution

This weekend, two women on vacation in Pigeon Forge received an unexpected visit from a black bear.

Megan Ryman and Meagan Hudgins stated they were both on their phones in the cabin when they noticed a bear heading up the stairs.

Hudgins stated that she believed the bear was not fully matured and weighed approximately 100 pounds. Ryman jumped onto a rocking rocker as the bear crawled towards them.

“At that time, we basically stood up. It was a baby bear, so it became terrified and ran up for a second, allowing us to get back into the cabin,” Ryman explained.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected habitats for black bears in the eastern United States. Biologists believe that there are 1,900 bears in the park.

Matt Cameron, a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spokeswoman, stated that how to handle a black bear encounter varies depending on the circumstances. In this case, he stated that people should create loud noises.

“We don’t want them to feel comfortable hanging around people’s homes,” Mr. Cameron added. “We want to encourage them to move forward. You can just shout at the bear, smash pots and pans together, use an airhorn, whistle, or something similar.”

Black bears are most active during the spring and summer in the early mornings and nights. Cameron reiterated that black bears are wild animals and they are dangerous.

“They are large carnivores,” Cameron said. “They have very strong jaw. They have sharp teeth. They have strong muscles. They have claws and they will do harm to you. We want to discourage any sort of welcoming behavior towards black bears.”

The TWRA also advises people going on hikes to bring bear spray.