Bear Sightings Investigated By Summit Police Tuesday

SUMMIT, NJ — Police in Summit issued alerts on Monday night and then again on Tuesday morning warning about two bear sightings.

Tuesday morning's alert, just before 9 a.m., said, "Bear sighting: Area of Fernwood Rd & Ridge Rd. Officers are monitoring. Please do not approach or converge on the area."

The alert Monday at 8:03 p.m. said: "Bear sighting on Mountain Avenue and Oak Ridge Ave. Officers are monitoring its location."

Bears were spotted in May and April in Westfield and Cranford, including a sighting of a black bear near Nomahegan Park, a Union County park, in Cranford in April. "Do not approach the area and be mindful of pets," police advised at the time. "Police units will monitor the area and notify NJ Fish and Wildlife as needed."

Last year, Westfield residents event spotted two black bears at once and managed to photograph one prowling near someone's driveway.

What To Do If You See A Bear

The state Department of Environmental Protection, on their "Be Bear Aware" website, says that black bears are the largest mammal in the Garden State, and have been spotted in all 21 counties.They rarely attack, but can be dangerous. If you see a black bear, don't approach it.

In 2014, a black bear killed a Rutgers University student at a nature preserve in New Jersey.

And last year, a black bear attacked an 82-year-old man in his garage in West Milford. The bear was euthanized.

The state website suggests that it's best to avoid leaving food out, if you don't want bears. If you see one, make noise to scare it away. If attacked, don't "play dead"; instead, fight back. To read more about what to do and who to call if you see a bear, click here.

Complaints Double About Black Bears

Last year, the New Jersey Herald reported that the black bear population has doubled in New Jersey, and so have complaints. State officials said that some of the complaints have risen because more people have been at home during the pandemic to witness the bears. Residents have debated how to address the growing population.

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