A mama bear and her three cubs have been spotted repeatedly in a Saraland neighborhood over the past week, giving residents an up-close look at wildlife not often seen wandering through their yards.
Saraland resident Erica Branch said her Ring doorbell camera caught the mother bear tipping over her trash can on Sunday, Aug. 16, while the three cubs stayed close together near a tree in the yard. Branch also said she encountered the bear family in person, telling neighbors she was pulling into her driveway when the mother bear and her cubs crossed through her front yard.
This is not the first time a black bear has wandered through the Saraland area. In January, a black bear was seen walking near the local Cracker Barrel. And in May 2025, residents reported spotting two bears and a cub along Forest Avenue.
A recurring visitor
Saraland sits in Mobile County just north of the city of Mobile, where pockets of woods border residential streets, creating a natural corridor for animals like black bears to pass through. Wildlife experts generally recommend that residents who spot a bear keep their distance, avoid approaching cubs, and secure trash cans and pet food that could draw the animals closer to homes.
No injuries or damage beyond the overturned trash can have been reported in connection with the recent sightings.