Terrifying Moment Huge Bear Breaks Into Family Home’s Porch Caught on CCTV – Newsweek

New Hampshire resident, Bonnie McKenzie, was startled awake on Sunday morning to find an enormous black bear on her front porch.

"We were sleeping, and at about 2:30 in the morning, I heard our blink camera system going crazy," McKenzie told Newsweek. "As I was getting up to see what was going on I heard a large crash.

"When I got up and went to look on the porch I observed a huge bear approximately 300 to 400 pounds had broken through our enclosed porch door. He then left the same way he came in."

The next evening, at about 8:30 p.m, the bear paid McKenzie a second visit. "This time [he] broke through the glass and entered the porch again. The only thing we could figure out that he wanted is we have a metal locked container that my hubby keeps bird seed in. He made no attempt to try to get into that."

McKenzie's husband shouted at the bear through the sliding door, which seemed to do the trick. "He took off rather quickly," McKenzie said. "Needless to say we have been uneasy that he may return again. We have also gotten rid of all bird seed."

Black bears are the only bear species found in New Hampshire. According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, there are between 4,800 and 5,000 bears across the state, with an average of one bear for every 2 square miles.

McKenzie lives in Laconia, in Belknap County, and is no stranger to these apex predators. "We have lived in this co-op community for 23 years and have had bears in our area often roaming around the neighborhood, but never breaking in anyone's residence," McKenzie said.

In New Hampshire, bears typically come out of hibernation in late March to early April. This male bear was likely looking for food, which is why he may have been drawn to McKenzie's crate of bird seed.

Bears are clever animals, so to avoid attracting them to your yard, it is best to put away bird feeders from April to December, and take them out again once the bears have gone back to their dens to hibernate.

McKenzie shared photos and footage of the bear to her local community Facebook group in a post that has received hundreds of likes and comments.

Users were quick to point out a small bear statue in McKenzie's garden with the word "welcome" painted across it.

"I'll have to remove my little bear welcome sign," McKenzie said. "I don't want it to bring its buddies here!"

If you see a bear, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department advises you to keep your distance. You should never run or turn your back to a black bear and, if you are attacked by a black bear, you should fight back rather than "play dead."

Correction 04/20/2023, 10:00 a.m. ET: This article was updated to correct the location of the incident to New Hampshire.

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Terrifying Moment Huge Bear Breaks Into Family Home's Porch Caught on CCTV - Newsweek