Bear Seen In The Caldwells, Police Issue Advisory

WEST CALDWELL, NJ — Essex County reportedly saw a springtime bear appearance last weekend when one of the animals appeared in the West Caldwell area, authorities say.

The West Caldwell Police Department issued an alert at 6:20 a.m. on Saturday, stating that a black bear was seen in the township. “If you encounter the bear please do not approach it,” police stated.

Police didn't mention a specific location of the sighting in their alert.

• See related article: Essex County Bear Sightings Map (And How To Avoid Them)

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection recently released a list of tips for property owners and outdoors enthusiasts who want to avoid a potentially dangerous encounter.

“Bears have an acute sense of smell, and can detect scents more than two miles away,” the NJ DEP stated. “The most common problem property owners experience is black bears getting into garbage. Another common problem is unintentional bear feeding by homeowners, who unwittingly make household trash, pet foods and other food sources easily available for bears to find and eat.”

DEP wildlife experts stress that a black bear simply passing through an area and not causing a specific problem, such as breaking into trash or otherwise trying to access food sources on peoples’ properties or posing a safety threat, should be left alone.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife advises people to leave the area and allow the bear to continue on its way. Residents can report bear damage, nuisance behavior or aggressive bears to the Wildlife Control Unit of the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife at (908) 735-8793.

During evenings and weekends, residents should call their local police department or the DEP Hotline at 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337), state officials said.

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

File Photo (not the bear spotted in Caldwell): Wikimedia Commons

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