For decades, Alabamians have turned to James Spann to track severe storms, snowflakes and the occasional hurricane.
This week, many of them were checking his Facebook page for something a little different: the latest whereabouts of a wandering black bear.
As the bear made its way through neighborhoods in north Shelby County, Spann’s weather updates briefly gave way to what could only be described as “bear watch.”
“Never thought I would turn into a bear reporter…” Spann joked after sharing reports of multiple sightings near Meadowbrook and Corporate Parkway along U.S. 280.
Over the next several days, the updates kept coming.
Spann shared overnight video from The Narrows, noting the bear appeared to have crossed Double Oak Mountain and was moving south.
Later, he posted another sighting from the Eagle Point area off U.S. 280, reminding followers that while black bears are native to Alabama, they are rarely seen in the Birmingham metropolitan area.
The bear’s journey quickly became a very popular social media topic.
Local media outlets joined in with lighthearted posts, and businesses found creative ways to have fun with the unexpected visitor. One AI-generated post from WestRover Water Sports & Agility Club imagined the bear, nicknamed ‘Shelby,’ practicing dock diving and agility training instead of simply wandering through the area.
Even the City of Calera Police Department weighed in after reports of a bear sighting there. The department reminded residents that routine bear sightings should be reported to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources rather than local law enforcement, while using a humorous graphic showing which animals can and can’t be transported to the city kennel.
Despite the online humor, wildlife officials say black bears are a natural part of Alabama’s wildlife population.
According to Outdoor Alabama, the state’s largest established bear populations are found in southwest Alabama and in the northeast counties of DeKalb, Cherokee and Etowah, where bears have expanded south from northwest Georgia. Sightings elsewhere in the state may indicate Alabama’s black bear population is slowly growing.
Outdoor Alabama advises residents who spot a bear to remain calm, avoid approaching it and never feed it. Most bears seen in neighborhoods are simply passing through, particularly during the spring and summer when adult males roam widely in search of mates and young bears disperse into new territory. Homeowners are encouraged to remove food sources such as unsecured garbage, pet food and bird feeders to help prevent bears from hanging around to enjoy the bounty.
While wildlife officials hope Shelby continues roaming safely, the wandering bear has already left its mark on social media, giving Alabamians a few laughs and adding to James Spann’s growing reputation as the state’s unofficial bear reporter.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
