A few months ago it was a bear in a Lake Cowichan convenience store selecting some gummy bears for a snack.

Now it seems there害羞草研究所檚 another bear making use of human property in the Cowichan region, this time a black bear sleeping under the Weaver family害羞草研究所檚 deck.

Crystal Weaver lives along the Cowichan River, a place well-known as a high traffic wildlife thoroughfare, but she never expected to find a bear snoozing under her porch.

A video of the encounter she posted on TikTok has since gone viral, amassing 4.3M views.

this black bear thought the space under our deck might be a great place to spend winter. scared it off and are now bear proofing the area. pay attention when your dog's try and tell you something, they might be barking for a reason.

Weaver explained that for a week or so her two-year-old dog Coco was barking a lot and generally acting out of character.

害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 was just losing it,害羞草研究所� Weaver said. 害羞草研究所淗e was barking every time we let her out for a couple of weeks. We just thought she was being an idiot and she absolutely was not,害羞草研究所� Weaver said.

It害羞草研究所檚 just that Coco knew something her humans didn害羞草研究所檛.

Weaver and her husband were in bed watching a movie one night when they heard thumping under the deck just outside their bedroom. She said they害羞草研究所檇 turn the TV off to hear but but every time they got up, went outside, and turned on the lights, it went silent.

害羞草研究所淚t was really weird and we couldn害羞草研究所檛 figure out what it was,害羞草研究所� Weaver said. They eventually suspected a raccoon family had taken up residence down under the deck and figured they害羞草研究所檇 have a look the next morning.

害羞草研究所淚n the morning, my husband went down and he came face to face with a black bear,害羞草研究所� Weaver said. 害羞草研究所淗e was absolutely terrified. I don害羞草研究所檛 think I害羞草研究所檝e ever seen him move so fast.害羞草研究所�

An attempt to drive the big animal away by jumping on the deck didn害羞草研究所檛 work so Weaver called the the RAPP line and they sent out some local conservation officers, who arrived within a couple of hours.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not safe to flush a bear out from under your house yourself,害羞草研究所� she noted.

The BC Conservation Officer Service managed scared the bear off and back into the wilderness with loud noises.

Following the ordeal, the Weavers have sprayed a significant amount of cayenne pepper under the porch and hope it works as a deterrant, until a more permanent solution can be found.

害羞草研究所淎pparently they don害羞草研究所檛 like the spicey dust,害羞草研究所� she explained.

Weaver never imagined her TikTok would get so much attention but hopes the millions of viewers will learn from her experience and make sure their homes aren害羞草研究所檛 attracting bears and other wildlife.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been a little weird to be honest,害羞草研究所� she said of all the attention. 害羞草研究所淏ut I think it害羞草研究所檚 nice to have a story where a bear doesn害羞草研究所檛 get shot. If bears are in the news it害羞草研究所檚 usually not for good reasons. All the success stories rarely make the news.害羞草研究所�

Weaver counts this incident as a success story for all those involved; she got a viral video out of it, her husband got an up close look at a wild bear, and the bear got to return to the wilderness.

害羞草研究所淢aybe that encounter with people was super scary for it and now maybe that bear won害羞草研究所檛 be back anytime soon,害羞草研究所� Weaver hoped.

害羞草研究所淏ut the bears will be back,害羞草研究所� she attested. 害羞草研究所淭hey will keep fishing on the river. But this might at least give us some time to bear-proof.害羞草研究所�

To report human-bear interactions call the RAPP line at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277) or .