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含羞草研究社檚 another bear making use of human property in the Cowichan region, this time a black bear sleeping under the Weaver family含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淪he含羞草研究社檚 was just losing it,含羞草研究社� Weaver said. 含羞草研究社淗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,含羞草研究社� Weaver said.

It含羞草研究社檚 just that Coco knew something her humans didn含羞草研究社檛.

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含羞草研究社檇 turn the TV off to hear but but every time they got up, went outside, and turned on the lights, it went silent.

含羞草研究社淚t was really weird and we couldn含羞草研究社檛 figure out what it was,含羞草研究社� Weaver said. They eventually suspected a raccoon family had taken up residence down under the deck and figured they含羞草研究社檇 have a look the next morning.

含羞草研究社淚n the morning, my husband went down and he came face to face with a black bear,含羞草研究社� Weaver said. 含羞草研究社淗e was absolutely terrified. I don含羞草研究社檛 think I含羞草研究社檝e ever seen him move so fast.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 not safe to flush a bear out from under your house yourself,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淎pparently they don含羞草研究社檛 like the spicey dust,含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檛 attracting bears and other wildlife.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been a little weird to be honest,含羞草研究社� she said of all the attention. 含羞草研究社淏ut I think it含羞草研究社檚 nice to have a story where a bear doesn含羞草研究社檛 get shot. If bears are in the news it含羞草研究社檚 usually not for good reasons. All the success stories rarely make the news.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淢aybe that encounter with people was super scary for it and now maybe that bear won含羞草研究社檛 be back anytime soon,含羞草研究社� Weaver hoped.

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

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