Bear Sighting In The Caldwells: Here’s Where It Was Spotted

CALDWELLS, NJ — A bear sighting was reported in the Caldwell area on Wednesday morning, authorities say.

According to police, the bear was spotted near Deer Trail Road and Skyline Drive in North Caldwell.

Subscribe

The NCPD shared the following advice for local residents:

“Please use caution when outdoors. If you encounter a bear, remain calm and do not run. Avoid approaching the animal; back away slowly and quietly while leaving the area. If a black bear moves toward you, try to appear larger, make loud noises (such as clapping), and continue backing away carefully.”

Wednesday's sighting isn't the first in the area this spring. Another bear sighting was reported earlier this week near the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland, Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo Jr. said.

According to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are the largest land mammal in New Jersey. They are an integral part of the state's natural heritage and a vital component of healthy ecosystems.

In recent years, black bear sightings have also been reported in Bloomfield, Caldwell, Irvington, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair, Roseland, South Orange and Verona, among other places in Essex County.

SAFETY TIPS

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife says that black bears tend to be wary of people. However, if you encounter a black bear in your neighborhood or outdoors while hiking or camping, follow these common-sense safety tips, experts say:

DON’T

• Do not feed bears.
• Do not approach bears. Especially feeding bears, which will aggressively defend their food.
• Do not run from bears. Running may trigger a chase response.
• Do not make direct eye contact. Bears may perceive this as a challenge.

DO

• Remain calm and slowly back away.
• Make the bear aware of you.
• Be loud: speak in an assertive voice, yell, sing, or clap your hands. If available, bang pots and pans or use an airhorn.
• Make yourself look big. Wave your arms. Hold your jacket above your head.
• If you’re in a group, stay together and perform these actions together.
• Make sure the bear has an escape route. If a bear enters your home, prop all the doors open.
• If the bear doesn’t leave, move to a secure area.
• If your family lives in an area frequented by black bears, create a “Bear Plan” for children, with an escape route and planned use of whistles and air horns.
• Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear does attack, fight back! Aim for the snout and/or eyes. Use anything at hand: (knife, sticks, rocks, binoculars, backpack or kick the bear).
• Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP’s 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP .

BEAR BEHAVIOR

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says that mating season for black bears in the state runs between late May and August and peaks in June and July.

Black bears are not true hibernators and may be active all year long. However, during the winter, black bears enter a state of winter dormancy called torpor, experts say.

The NJDEP says that black bears are generally solitary animals, with the exception of sows with cubs. They tend to be crepuscular, meaning they are most active shortly before sunrise and again after sunset. However, they can be active during the day and may be active throughout the night. They will adjust their routines when it affords them the opportunity to take advantage of human-derived food sources – such as human garbage left out overnight, or food scraps at a campground.

The NJDEP continues:

“Black bears actively forage for food in the spring after they emerge from dens and in the fall when they are actively feeding to prepare for the winter den period. Black bears are also very active throughout the summer breeding season. These are the times of year when black bear/human encounters are most common, due to bears searching for food.”

“Black bears are typically not aggressive animals and tend to be wary of people,” the NJDEP says. “They do, however, engage in posturing to intimidate other animals and people when establishing dominance or when they feel threatened. And while extremely rare, predatory attacks do occur.”

LIVING ALONGSIDE BEARS: WHAT TO KNOW

Since the 1980s the Garden State's black bear population has been increasing and expanding its range both southward and eastward from the forested areas of northwestern New Jersey. Within the most densely populated state in the nation, black bears are thriving and there are now confirmed bear sightings in all 21 of New Jersey's counties, the NJDFW states on its website.

"The most common bear problem New Jersey's residents experience is black bears getting into their garbage," state officials say. "Bears are attracted to neighborhoods by garbage odors, so properly securing your garbage is one of the best ways to prevent bears from becoming a nuisance in your community."

NJDEP wildlife experts emphasize that a black bear passing through an area and not causing a specific problem, such as breaking into trash or otherwise trying to access food sources on people's properties or posing a safety threat, should be left alone.

"People should leave the area and allow the bear to continue on its way," officials said. "When frightened, bears may seek refuge by climbing trees. If the bear does go up a tree, clear the area and give the bear time to climb down and escape."

According to the NJDEP, black bears have been sighted in all of New Jersey's 21 counties, but the population is densest in the northwestern counties of Sussex, Warren, Passaic and Morris.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.