Multiple Danvers Bear Sightings Prompt Police Warning On Wednesday

DANVERS, MA — The bear was back in Danvers Wednesday morning.

Two weeks after a bear sighting near Centre Street, Danvers police said there were multiple sightings of a bear in the area of Kirkbride Drive and Maple Street. Danvers police and Massachusetts Environmental Police responded to the area.

Police advised residents to secure any sources of food — bird feeders, pet food, or garbage — and urged them to supervise small children and pets amid the repeat bear visits to the town.

The ongoing severe drought in Massachusetts — which has reached extreme levels in parts of the state — may be leading to the increase of bear neighborhood interactions in Massachusetts in recent weeks.

The drought has many consequences for the environment, including decreasing the natural food supply for black bears. According to state wildlife officials, two main bear food sources — berries and acorns — can be diminished by drought, driving them into human areas in search of food.

Bears have also been seen in Wilmington, Woburn, Boxford and Middleton.

Danvers police on Wednesday were directing residents to read up on MassWildlife's guide to preventing negative encounters with bears.

Among the items included are what to do if you encounter a bear: "Talk to the bear in a calm voice. ... Back away — DO NOT run. ... FIGHT BACK if a black bear makes contact with you."

Other precautions — and actions to be taken in the case of an actual face-to-face meeting with a bear — can be found here:

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)