Is it just me, or does it seem like we are seeing more black bear sightings than ever before? Bears are seen doing just about everything from walking down the streets of Gatlinburg, TN, and getting into jacuzzis, to just strolling out of the woods into somebody's yard in Kentucky. They are everywhere.

I just read a story today about a bear in Lake Tahoe, NV, that opened someone's garage door and then closed it after they didn't find any food. Then when on about their business. That's crazy scary.

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Remember this bear who got in the jacuzzi and sacred the daylights out of my friend and her husband while they were trying to have a romantic night? The bear just wanted to dip his toes in the hot water. LOL

Recently I came across a video from Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, that showed a black bear swimming, I mean literally swimming, you kinda dog paddling, across an area of the lake. Keep in mind, they were at a great distance from the bear when they spotted him in the water. After Shelly's son spotted the bear, they zoomed in and took this video. So, no bears, or people were hurt in the making of this video.

Lake Cumberland is beautiful and a haven for boaters and wildlife. Remember the bobcat that was spotted dog-paddling in Lake Cumberland and the majestic, living legend, Billy the Lake Cumberland Goat?

I have also heard that Bigfoot makes an appearance every now and then. If you get a video of THAT, send it my way. LOL

LOOK: Stunning animal photos from around the world

From grazing Tibetan antelope to migrating monarch butterflies, these 50 photos of wildlife around the world capture the staggering grace of the animal kingdom. The forthcoming gallery runs sequentially from air to land to water, and focuses on birds, land mammals, aquatic life, and insects as they work in pairs or groups, or sometimes all on their own.

SEE: 15 Animals You Cannot Own in Evansville

I got the idea for this after seeing an article by Michelle Heart with our Townsquare Media sister-station, 107.9 Lite-FM in Boise, Idaho. She had discovered several animals residents in that city can't own based on city codes she found online which got me thinking about whether Evansville had any regulations that were similar. Obviously, they did or this article wouldn't exist. Chapter 14, Article 3, section 42 and 43 spell out a lengthy list of exotic animals you can get in trouble owning if local officials find out. You can see the entire list on the city's website. These are the 15 I found to be the most interesting.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

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LOOK: Here are the best lake towns to live in

Many of the included towns jump out at the casual observer as popular summer-rental spots--the Ozarks' Branson, Missouri, or Arizona's Lake Havasu--it might surprise you to dive deeper into some quality-of-life offerings beyond the beach and vacation homes. You'll likely pick up some knowledge from a wide range of Americana: one of the last remaining 1950s-style drive-ins in the Midwest; a Florida town that started as a Civil War veteran retirement area; an island boasting some of the country's top public schools and wealth-earners right in the middle of a lake between Seattle and Bellevue; and even a California town containing much more than Johnny Cash's prison blues.

The 100 Best Places to Live in the Midwest

 

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