I'm not going to call them pests, because they were here first and we keep clear-cutting their habitat, but urban bears are a thing here. I startled one as it was going through my neighbor's trash, and they get into the parking decks at
the hospital, which is not exactly out in the boonies, so often that they have a code they announce over the intercom when security has spotted yet another one wandering around on the security cameras.
Bears in the downtown area, north of the hospital also aren't terribly uncommon:
• Video Link
• Video Link
They've also been known to put in appearances at
Biltmore Estate, the North Carolina Governor's
Western Residence, and the
Chamber of Commerce.
Bears in Asheville have been known to enjoy
backyards,
trampolines,
playgrounds,
pickup trucks,
bird feeders, and
SUV's.