Wilmington Issues Warning After Bear Sighting

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington's animal control department issued a warning Thursday for residents to secure trash and move bird feeders inside after a bear was seen on Hopkins Street near the town's border with Billerica. The warning on social media also warned residents to be careful when letting pets outside.

"The bear will move along without a food source. We ask the public be cautious with pets and give these animals their space," the town said. "This is normal behavior for them."

According to the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, there are about 4,500 black bear in the state. That number has been steadily increasing since the 1970s, and bears have been increasingly moving eastward from the central and western parts of Massachusetts.

"A bear’s first response to something unusual is to leave. If a bear is feeding in an area where it doesn’t belong, such as your yard, on a porch, or in a dumpster, step outside, yell, and make lots of noise. The bear will usually leave—accompanied by its young. Habituated bears may ignore minor harassment," the department said. "If you continue to see bears, check your property and remove any potential food sources."

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).