Bear In Manchester? Not This Time, Poop 'Expert' Says

MANCHESTER, NJ — As the Manchester Township animal control officer, Margaret Dellapietro gets a wide range of calls.

She's the person called about loose dogs and missing cats, and she's the one who has to check out various reports of wildlife. So when a worried resident called police recently about a possible bear roaming in a Manchester neighborhood, the resident was directed to call Dellapietro.

What raised the resident's concern, however, wasn't seeing a bear itself, or seeing footprints. It was poop. A very large piece of poop, to be specific, that didn't look like that of other animals. The resident sent a photo of it to Dellapietro.

Being unsure herself, Dellapietro spoke with someone who might have a better idea.

"We have a (Manchester police) officer who is an avid hunter," she said. So they went to check it out. The verdict was that it wasn't poop from a bear, but actually from a male deer — and a very large one at that.

"It was green, indicating it was from an animal with a plant-based diet," she said. "And when he (the officer) poked it with a stick, it fell apart," and then looked like what people usually think of when they see deer poop — the round pellets left behind by female deer.

"The resident's husband said there had been a number of deer in the area and in their yard," Dellapietro said. And the officer who's a hunter was going to check his trail cameras in the area to confirm.

Black bears live throughout New Jersey and the population has been increasing since the 1980s. They have been seen in every county in the state, including Ocean County. And with much of Manchester bordering on the Pinelands, the possibility of bears in the area is real.

The state Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife publishes reports on the total number bear interactions, from sightings to incidents of bears damaging property or and of nuisance issues where the DEP has been involved. In 2018 there were 180 sightings and 703 incidents of other kinds, with reports coming from 19 of the state's 21 counties. The DEP report does not specify incidents per county, however the fact that they are widespread means interactions and sightings are a legitimate concern throughout the state. The state has information and tips on what to do if you encounter a black bear.

It's not the first time Dellapietro has received calls to identify animal poop, however.

"You'd be surprised how many calls we get," she said with a laugh. "I never thought I'd have to be a poop expert."

There is one thing she tells residents who call with concerns about what kind of animal may have pooped in their yards.

"Just be glad whatever left it isn't still around," she said.

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