Bear Sightings In Westford Area

WESTFORD, MA — There are more than 4,000 black bears in Massachusetts and in recent weeks some have been seen Westford and other parts of Middlesex County. Last week, black bears were spotted in Concord and Wayland. In May, a Westford mother told 7News she saw a bear climb over her fence into her yard and broke a swingset.

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Black bear sightings are common in Middlesex County. They are most active during the summer; their mating season is mid-June through mid-July. Males measure about 230 pounds and 5 feet in length.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife publicized these tips for preventing conflicts with bears:

Avoid filling bird feeders: Bears that find a bird feeder will often revisit that site, month after month, year after year. Bird feeders, bird seed, corn and other bird foods can draw bears into closer proximity to people and often result in bears losing their fear of people.

If you see a bear in your yard: Make noise by banging pots and pans, shouting, or using an air horn to try to scare the bear off. Once the bear has left the area, take a close look at your yard for potential bear food sources such as bird feeders, pet food, dirty barbecue grills, open compost, or trash and remove the food sources immediately.

If you come face to face with a bear: Remain calm, talk to the bear in a calm voice (try ‘hey bear, hey bear”) and slowly back away and leave the area. If a bear approaches or follows you, make yourself look bigger by putting your arms above your head. Continue to repeat “hey bear” in a calm voice and back away and leave the area while monitoring the bear.

Additional information: mass.gov/bears

Black Bear Sightings In Massachusetts

• Black Bear Spotted In Wayland - June 20, 2017
• Black Bears Spotted In Concord - Jun 19, 2017

Photo credit: Bess Sadler/Flickr