Your neighbour might be a bear, b'y, for real.

Whaddya at, b'y — this is St. John's, oldest city in North America, and we're still here. Let's go.

I'll tell ya one thing, b'y, you think you've seen it all in St. John's, right? You've dodged a gully washer on Water Street, maybe you've nearly gone ass over kettle on an icy step down da Battery, or even seen a fella doing a screech-in on George Street at three in da afternoon. But I bet you never thought you'd be joining a Facebook group called 'Bears on da Avalon' and it'd be serious, for real. Because, b'y, there are more bear sightings happening right here on da Avalon Peninsula than ever before, and people are getting worried.

Now, we're not talking about some fella dressed up like a mascot down at da Growlers game. These are proper, honest-to-goodness black bears, b'y, wandering around places like Conception Bay South, Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, and even closer to da city, out around da Goulds and Blackhead. Just imagine you're out for a stroll on da East Coast Trail near Cape Spear, taking in da views, and then you see a fuzzy fella who ain't a moose or a puffin. People are actually getting these close-up encounters, and da Facebook group is filling up wit photos and stories. It's not just a few stray ones; da numbers are on da rise.

### What This Means for St. John's

This is a new one for us, and it comes with a few things we gotta think about:

* **Be Aware:** Seriously, b'y, if you're out walking your dog or enjoying da trails, keep an eye out. Carry bear spray if you're feeling brave.

* **Secure Your Stuff:** Those bins by da curb on garbage day? Might need to be a bit more secure. Bears are looking for an easy meal, and a full trash can smells like a five-star restaurant to 'em.

* **New Local Lore:** We might have to add "bear sighting" to "seeing a sculpin" or "finding a good deal at da fish market" as a true St. John's experience.

I'll tell ya one thing, b'y, it's a stark reminder that even in da middle of our bustling city, wit da ships coming through da Narrows and da lights of Signal Hill twinkling, we're still right next to da wild, untamed beauty of Newfoundland. It's what makes this place so special, but it also means we gotta be smart. Stay safe out dere, b'y, and maybe keep a whistle handy when you're out on da trails.

Deirdre Molloy-Waddleton, MiTL Sports Desk, reporting from St. John's.

You can get da full scoop on what's new wit da bears on da Avalon every morning wit da crew – catch 'em live at mornings.live.