Naples woman finds her outdoor fridge open. Then the cameras show a six-foot intruder who took an alcoholic drink: ‘I figured he was thirsty’

A black bear walked past an unlocked gate into a Naples, Florida, backyard over the weekend, opened an outdoor refrigerator and took an alcoholic drink. According to WSVN, homeowner Celine Emerson noticed the open fridge and asked her husband to check the cameras. The footage showed the animal, which she put at roughly six feet when upright.

The bear also spent about half an hour eating trash in the front yard before it reached the patio. “I figured he was thirsty,” Emerson recalled. Emerson described the sighting with the words “it was so unusual to see it.” The next morning, she found a big paw print on the counter.

Emerson acknowledged that the family leaves the gate open when coming and going at night, stating, “We don’t close it when we leave.” She added that the household plans to be more careful as their granddaughter gets older.

Florida wildlife officials outline steps to take when bears visit

The station also reported that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says bears eat more in the fall to build fat reserves for winter. That can raise the chance of run-ins with people. Black bears live in several parts of the state, and the estimated population is around 4,000.

FWC’s guidance centers on removing the things that draw bears. It advises storing garbage in a sturdy shed or garage, or using a bear-resistant container, and setting it out the morning of pickup. Pets should eat indoors, and any outdoor food should be brought in afterward along with the dishes. Bird feeders should come down or be made bear-resistant, and ripe and fallen fruit should be cleared.

Grills and smokers should be cleaned after each use, with portable ones stored in a secure shed or garage. Electric fencing can protect gardens, beehives, compost and livestock, the commission adds. It encourages residents to tell neighbors about bear activity and to ask their homeowners association or local government to require secured trash.

If a bear shows up, the guidance is to give it plenty of space and never approach or feed it. The animal will typically move along on its own. Feeding bears intentionally is illegal in Florida. Before a dog goes out at night, residents are advised to flip the lights on and off and bang on the door so bears can leave. Dogs should also stay close on a non-retractable leash.

For conflicts, the nearest regional office is the point of contact. The Wildlife Alert Hotline takes reports of injured, orphaned or dead bears, people who feel threatened by a bear, and anyone harming or feeding them. Home cameras have recorded other unexpected visitors, such as a Texas doorbell camera recording a masked visitor eating a banana at the door.