For those living in the Upstate of South Carolina, bear sightings are nothing unusual. But most people don’t realize that bears are found all over South Carolina – even in the counties along and near the coast. In fact, for the past two years, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has warned of an increase of bear activity throughout the state, including along the coast.

Last spring (2019), the state agency issued a press release about bear movements being on the rise along the coast.
Facebook/South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
The warning pertained particularly to a population of bears that lives year-round in Horry, Georgetown, Berkeley, Dillion, Marion, Williamsburg, Dorchester, and Charleston Counties.
And while bears are known more to move out of their comfort zone during breeding season in late spring, they tend to turn heads anytime they're spotted — especially in the Pee Dee, Grand Strand, and Lowcountry!
Facebook/South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
What should you do if you see a bear? Immediately report it on the "Report a bear sighting" tab at this link on the SCDNR website.

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And if a bear has been spotted nearby, then it's best to remove all temptation for it to pay a visit to your yard.
Robert Winkler / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
Removing bird feeders, squirrel feeders, and any outdoor containers of food for pets, goats, chickens, or other livestock is essential to staving off a hungry bear.
The next step is to secure your garbage containers. Make sure they're closed securely. Some residents in the Upstate have installed bear-proof garbage containers. This could be an option along the coast if the bear population keeps increasing and becoming more and more of a nuisance.
Flickr/Florida Fish and Wildlife
And lastly, if you're a bee keeper, put up a bear-proof fence around those hives. Bears and honey go together like peanut butter and jelly.

To what does the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources attribute the increase in bear sightings along the coast? The agency speculates that the fast-growth in some areas has new developments pushing bears out of their natural habitats or the developments themselves are pushing up to the boundaries of existing bear habitats.

Have you spotted a bear in South Carolina this year? (You can report it here!) We’d love to know where you saw it and approximately when, so leave some feedback here, too!

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