WEARS VALLEY, Tenn. (WATE) – A Middle Tennessee couple noticed an uninvited next door neighbor next to their cabin Tuesday afternoon.

James and Wendy Ridley of Cornersville, Tennessee, said this black bear appeared around 4 p.m. at the cabin next to theirs in Wears Valley. The couple is vacationing in the region to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and to reconnect with relatives.

Here are some tips to stay safe and keep bears safe when visiting the Park area. There are an estimated 1,500 bears in the Park. Never feed bears. It can cause them to lose the fear of humans and over time, may begin approaching people in search of food.