Bear Chased Up Tree On Highland Avenue Sunday

Ridgewood police officers chased a bear up a tree Sunday and were supposed to monitor the animal all night to make sure it didn’t hurt anybody.

The bear was chased up a tree on Highland Avenue Sunday, said Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld in a message on the village website. Police officers were slated to watch the bear until it came down from the tree.

Residents were urged not to leave garbage out and to take bird feeders inside.

“This bear was in our community to eat,” said Sonenfeld. “Going forward as a community, we need to collectively to take measures to discourage bears from wandering into Ridgewood. It is really imperative that garbage is secured — rifling through the garbage to find food is the primary reason that bears come into residential neighborhoods.”

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife offers several tips to reduce the likelihood of encountering black bears, the largest mammals in the state, the agency said:

• Use certified bear-resistant trash containers, or
• Secure all garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids
• Do not feed pets outdoors
• Only feed birds during the day between Dec. 1 and April 1.

Residents should report black bears that are being nuisances to the Ridgewood Police Department 201-652-3900 or to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s 24-hour hotline at 1-877-927-6337.