Black Bear In Tree In Kearny Backyard As Police Monitor

KEARNY, NJ — Update: A State Fish & Wildlife representative came to the scene in Kearny at 9:15 p.m. Monday and did not recommend tranquilizing or trapping the bear, and then left, said Kearny police. "The expert advice is to let the bear find its own way home," said Kearny police in a post on their Facebook page.

He hasn't gone away. The black bear that was spotted roaming throughout Harrison and Kearny this weekend — and even climbed onto the roof of a building — is currently the subject of police corral efforts in a Kearny backyard as of Monday afternoon.

As of 5 p.m., the bear had climbed up a tree in a backyard on Webster Avenue. The bear appeared to be sleeping in the tree, in the pouring rain, as a crowd gathered on the sidewalk. Kearny police set up a perimeter around the tree and were warning passersby to be alert, as the bear had previously been aggressive. Police stood around the tree with their guns drawn.

Fish & Wildlife officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection were called to get the bear down from the tree, but had still not arrived as of 7:30 p.m.

"I saw him," said Kearny resident Rita Delos Santos, of the bear. "He was big, about five foot eight. He wasn't scary. I hope he is OK."

Kearny police are currently warning residents to stay inside their homes and away from Madison and Webster avenues in the Manor section of Kearny, where the bear has been spotted in the backyards of homes.

"Officers are attempting to contain a black bear walking through yards in the Manor section of town, currently near Madison Avenue," Kearny police posted to Facebook shortly before 3 p.m. Monday. "Please stay out of the area or stay indoors if you live in the immediate area."

"Officers are attempting to contain a black bear in a yard on Webster Avenue," Kearny police tweeted at 2:36 p.m. Monday.

The bear has not been secured yet.

The black bear was first seen at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, near the Kearny WalMart. That is an area surrounded mostly by marshy Meadowlands.

A few hours later, around 10:30 p.m., residents notified the Harrison Police department that a bear was seen around the Red Bulls soccer arena in Harrison

Then at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Harrison police got a 911 call that a bear was seen on the roof of a building at 1 Cleveland Avenue.

How did the bear climb up there?

"The building is a single story, commercial building with multiple garages. It is unknown how the bear climbed on top of the building," said Det. Lt. Charles Schimpf of Harrison police. "The bear was already on the roof when it was seen. The building is currently under renovation and there are multiple vehicles around the building."

"It is possible that the bear used a vehicle to gain access to the roof but that’s all speculation at this point," he said.

To help get the bear off the roof, Port Authority police were called in, but before they could get there, the bear climbed down to street level and ran off towards the Passaic River.

Black bears are a familiar site in western New Jersey and have been seen frequently in neighboring Essex and Passaic counties.

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