Short Hills Black Bear Has Its Own Facebook Page

MILLBURN, NJ — When people are in self-isolation, they need any entertainment they can get, and sourdough bread and military flyovers don't always cut it. So when a black bear frolicked in a driveway in the Short Hills section of Millburn on Monday, and then climbed a tree, he (or she) drew interest from neighbors and New York news reporters.

Sadly, the attempts by local and state officials to catch fuzzy-wuzzy on Monday were futile. Perhaps they can find him or her by following the "Short Hills Bear" Facebook page?

On Tuesday, local officials Tweeted:

UPDATE: Yesterday’s attempt to trap the bear was unsuccessful. It is on the move again and was last seen this morning on Stony Brook Lane.

Please stay cautious when leaving your home today. Do not attempt to find or approach the bear. Updates to follow.

— Township of Millburn (@millburntwp)

As of Wednesday morning, the Facebook page Short Hills Bear, apparently created in May of 2015 during a bear sighting that month, had come back to life. It has 169 followers and also has a Twitter account.

"Guess who's back?" posted the Facebook page triumphantly on Tuesday afternoon, before saying a video of the bear walking up a driveway was not social distancing.

The first Short Hills bear of 2020 was sighted early Monday morning, when the Township of Millburn posted at 8:15 a.m.:

Police. In the area of Woodland Rd a bear has been sited. Use caution when exiting your home — Township of Millburn (@millburntwp)

They followed up with, "UPDATE: NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is responding to and handling the situation."

A resident posted a video of the bear in his driveway Monday morning on the Facebook group Happy Millburn. He wrote, "We spotted the bear just before 8 a.m. on Wellington walking across our driveway then into the woods. We contacted Millburn PD and they watched the bear make its way to Woodland via the woods/backyards."

The state Department of Environmental Protection, on their "Be Bear Aware" website, says that black bears are the largest mammal in the Garden State, and they've been spotted in all 21 counties. They rarely attack, but can be dangerous. If you see a black bear, don't approach it.

The site suggests that it's best to avoid leaving food out, if you don't want bears. If you see one, make noise to scare it away. And if attacked, don't "play dead"; instead, fight back. To read more about what to do and who to call if you see a bear, click here.

People have noticed more wildlife in their New Jersey neighborhoods recently. Two weeks ago, a baby seal was seen frolicking on the Hoboken waterfront, near residential high rises. In the same city on Sunday, people spotted two deer prancing through the center of town. Others have spied coyotes in a few spots around the state.

Got a news tip or just want to reach out? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. To keep up with Hoboken and statewide announcements, sign up for free Patch breaking news alerts and daily newsletters.