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'Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!' Well maybe not lions and tigers, but some Southwest Roanoke County residents have been experiencing some encounters with black bears.

According to Leslie Terry bears have been getting into garbage left out the night before trash collection and coming through the backyards of those who live in the Fairway Forest subdivision just off Keagy Road.

"We need people to understand that this isn't off somewhere on the fringe," Terry said. "And also this can be dangerous as people are clueless about it and I think most of us that live in suburbia."

Terry said that her and her neighbors developed a phone tree. She's heard stories of her neighbors encountering bears in their driveways near Brambleton or in their yards.

"It's kind of a while new thing. We've lived here for 14 years and on a couple of occasions I've heard people say that they spotted a bear. This years is very different and I found out there were more people who were having these trash can raids than I knew about. Now in calling around and trying to get a phone tree, I've learned people are having problems for months here and seeing bears more."

Terry said that she has seen bear tracks in her driveway. She said she measured the paw print and it was 9.5 inches from the tip of the toe and the heel and 6.5 inches in width.

Terry now just wants to get the word out and try to prevent the trash raids.

"If there is one neighbor that puts their garbage out at night before pick up, then that's enough reinforcement to keep those bears roaming around as long as they get a reward. That is what we are trying to do, is get the word out and let people know. Even the people who don't have a garage, they have to keep the garbage inside.

Roanoke County picks up garbage once a week. Terry says that people put out the garbage a night before, for convenience, because it is picked up at 7 a.m.

In one instance, Terry said a bear crawled over a fence surrounding a pool and got into the garbage.

"Bears and people don't usually have problems unless people get near their food or cubs. I'm afraid that someone is going to go out in their garage one night and they are going to encounter a bear in their garage."

"It is affecting how people are living in the neighborhoods. They have a fear now they haven't always had. I've heard from several of the neighbors that they used to enjoy walking at night or walk their dogs at dusk and they are afraid to walk in the neighborhood at night."

It is illegal in the state of Virginia to feed bears and according to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the black bear population is continuing to grow and expand, increasing the chance of bear sitings and human populations are also growing and spreading. The fact that residential areas of Virginia are expanding into forested lands and wildlife habitats, also increases bear sitings.

So how do you live with black bears? Here are a few things from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries that may help. The first step is to not give the bears a reason to come in the first place, that means leave no food outside for the bear to be attracted to.

-The most common food attractants are bird feeders, garbage, and pet food, but grills, livestock food, compost, and beehives can also attract bears.

-Residential bear problems may occur at any time of year, but are more common when natural food supplies are limited, usually in spring or in years when nut and berry productions are low.

-Most common bear problems have simple solutions. The typical problems involve turned-over garbage containers, trash littered across the yard, bears entering dog pens or coming onto porches to eat pet foods, or damaged birdfeeders. However, bears that learn to associate food with people can cause property damage in their search for food around houses.

-Secure your garbage: Store garbage indoors, in a shed, in a garage, or in a bear-proof container.

-Put garbage out in the morning of pickup, not the night before.

-Take trash to the dump frequently.

-Pick up pet food: Feed pets only what they will eat in a single feeding or feed them indoors. Remove the food bowl soon after pets finish. Pick up uneaten food. Do not leave food out overnight.

-Remove the bird feeder: Bears consume seeds and nuts found in the wild, so bird feeders become a favored target for bears.

-Clean the outdoor grill often.

-Do not put meat scraps or any other strong-smelling food in the compost pile. Consider an enclosed compost bin.

-Pick up and remove ripe fruit from fruit trees and surrounding grounds.

-Install electric fencing to protect beehives, dumpsters, gardens, compost piles, or other potential food sources.

-Talk to your neighbors: Make sure your neighbors and community are aware of the ways to prevent nuisance bear problems.

If problems such as these are taken care of immediately, bear sightings in your neighborhood will decrease.

Of course, if you do encounter a bear, experts suggest that you do not go near the bear. Do not chase it or approach it. Leave it alone. Calmly leave the area, back away slowly. Do not run or make sudden movement. If a bear is in your yard and it approaches you, make yourself look big and make loud noises.

For more information visit the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries here.

If you have bear stories, or have experienced a bear sighting, or maybe even photos of bears in your yard, we want to hear from you. Send them to us at news@swo-co.com.