Black Bear Sends Several Bergen County Schools Into Lockdown

LYNDHURST, NJ — A black bear who scrambled through Lyndhurst back yards on Tuesday afternoon sent nearby day cares and schools into lockdown, until state officials brought tranquilizers.

"When we said we would be welcoming the world to our backyard due to the FIFA World Cup matches, we did not realize it would extend to the wildlife," said Lyndhurst police on social media on Tuesday night.

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"Apparently this black bear took a detour and was confused by the 'Welcome to Lyndhurst — Bear Country' sign on the way to today's match."

Lyndhurst is two miles from East Rutherford, where France and Senegal were preparing to play their World Cup match.

At approximately 12:50 p.m., police said, officers responded to the 200 block of Webster Avenue on a report of a black bear.

They posted a message to residents saying, "Small black bear roaming northwest side of town. Please bring all domestic animals inside if you reside in the area of Webster Avenue and Jay Avenue."

One commenter responded, "Thought you weren't allowed to walk to the World Cup?"

Police later posted a video of the incident (see it below), writing, "Officers isolated and contained the bear while placing local day care facilities and schools in a shelter in place and advising residents to bring their animals inside out of an abundance of caution."

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection-Bureau of Wildlife sedated the animal and caught it in a net, police said.

"The bear was evaluated and tagged before being transported to Sussex County to be released into the wild," officials said.

While experts say that bears usually avoid humans, people (and pets) in New Jersey and New York have been hurt or killed, including these incidents:

• In May 2024, a bear killed a chihuahua and injured another dog in Sparta.
• In 2020, a black bear attacked an 82-year-old man in his garage in West Milford. The bear was euthanized.
• In 2014, a black bear killed a Rutgers University student who was hiking at a nature preserve in New Jersey.
• In 2002, a bear took a baby girl out of her stroller in the Catskills and killed her.

READ MORE: Video Shows Bear Family Running Past Bergen County Driveways

Advice From Officials

Officials in Bergen County have given this advice:

• Keep a safe distance.
• Do not approach, follow, or corner the animal.
• Secure garbage, pet food, bird feeders, and other potential food sources.
• Keep pets on a leash and supervise them while outdoors.
• If the bear approaches, remain calm, make yourself appear large, and slowly back away.

The state's "Bear Bear Aware" site suggests that it's best to avoid leaving food out. If you see a bear, make noise to scare it away.

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.

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, black bears are now found in all the state’s 21 counties.

Last year, Mahwah High School students decided to raise awareness about how to react when a bear appears, trying to educate children and reduce the risks. The students brought their book, "The Adventures of Bergen the Bear," to local schools.

In emergencies, dial 9-1-1.

See the video below.