Ramapo State Forest Will Be Closed For Second Week Following Aggressive Bear Encounters: Report

Ramapo Mountain State Forest will be closed for a second consecutive week due to an “abundance of caution” due to several reports of hikers encountering an aggressive bear, The Record reported.

Traps remain in place throughout the park the state Department of Environmental Protection set up to immobilize bears, the report states; a black bear was caught in one of those traps and euthanized Oct. 5.

Hikers reported two separate incidents of encountering an aggressive bear Oct. 3 in the state forest, which is located throughout Oakland, Ringwood, and Wanaque.

Related: ‘Aggressive’ Bear at N.J. State Forest Captured, Euthanized

On Oct. 3, hikers reported two separate encounters with an aggressive bear in Ramapo Mountain State Forest, which stretches through Oakland, Wanaque and Ringwood. The bear also repeatedly approached, swatted at, and chased after a man hiking, officials said.

The DEP will decide later this week when it will reopen the state forest, the report states.

In related news, Ramapo Valley County Reservation will be closed beginning at sunrise due to “high bear traffic,” police said.

Related: Police Close Ramapo Reservation Due To Bear Activity

Ramapo College of New Jersey posted on Twitter that the Mahwah Police Department closed the reservation due to ”increased bear activities.”

Mahwah Police Chief James Batelli and Mayor William Laforet could not be reached for comment.