A bear is suspected of mauling a car in Lawrence County in the Sontag area on Feb. 23rd. A woman noticed the damage to the vehicle around 7:30am when she went out that morning. There were chew marks and claw marks on various places on the vehicle near the engine bed. The woman told authorities that there was no food in the vehicle, nor had there been any the day previous. According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, bears tend to disturb outdoor food sources such as garbage cans, gardens and any other area where food is present. This particular case was very odd because none of the other food sources on the property were disturbed, only the vehicle.
Even though the situation does not display normal circumstances connected to bear behavior, authorities say there is enough evidence to indicate a bear caused the damage to the vehicle. The situation also indicates that Mississippi bears are on the move with the coming of Spring. MDWFP suggest keeping your garbage and any other food sources outdoors locked and protected. Please use caution and if you come in contact with a bear, the MDWFP says the best thing to do is to let it move along on its own. If it does not go on its own, please contact the proper authorities.
