Wildlife Writer's Kia Gets Peeled Open by a Bear in Gatlinburg, and the Irony Is Thick

Jason Bittel knows animals for a living. He’s a wildlife writer with a National Geographic book about animals that has a bear on the cover. None of that stopped a black bear in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, from peeling the window trim off his white Kia Telluride and breaking the front passenger window, all while onlookers screamed from inside a house. The wildest detail? There was no food in the SUV. Bittel had cleaned it out.

The problem is that Gatlinburg’s bears have learned cars sometimes hold snacks, so they’ve started opening doors and prying windows on the chance of finding something. Bittel drove the bear off with bear spray, though he caught some of it in his own throat and eyes. Nobody was seriously injured, and the bear wandered back into the woods unharmed. Local experts say the best defense is a clean car, locked doors, and keeping your distance from wildlife.

So the animal expert got outsmarted by an animal, and the internet got a story for the ages. If you’re planning a trip to bear country, take notes from this one. Have you ever had a wildlife encounter on a road trip? Tell us about it in the comments.