Bear Spotted In Watchung Prompts Police To Send Out Advisory

WATCHUNG, NJ — A bear was spotted in the area of Phillip Lane in Watchung on Tuesday night prompting police to send out a wildlife advisory.

Watchung Police sent out an alert around 8 p.m. on Tuesday telling residents to secure any outdoor food or garbage to avoid attracting bears and to report any aggressive behavior to the police.

Police sent out a follow-up alert on Wednesday morning around 10:40 a.m. letting residents know that bear and wildlife sights are becoming more common and to not approach or feed any wild animals.

"Over the last couple of years and especially the last couple of months wild animal sightings have become more and more frequent. The 40 mile-long stretch of the Watchung Mountains along with the semi-wooded nature of The Borough of Watchung, the surrounding towns, and especially the Watchung Reservation provides a large and bountiful habitat for many wild animals," police said.

Animals such as black bears, foxes, and even coyotes are among those being seen more often in the area.

"Although these animals rarely harm people or pets, they are wild and predatory in nature and should never be approached or fed. Feeding ANY wild animal will cause the animal to abandon its natural instinct to roam and look for its natural food sources and encourage the animal to return to where it was fed," police said.

Police encouraged residents to report an animal's aggressive and nuisance behavior to the Watchung Police Department.

Police also shared bear safety tips from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection:

• Never feed or approach a bear!
• Remain calm if you encounter a bear. Do not run from it.
• Make the bear aware of your presence by speaking in an assertive voice, singing, clapping your hands, or making other noises.
• Make sure the bear has an escape route.
• If a bear enters your home, provide it with an escape route by propping all doors open.
• Avoid direct eye contact, which may be perceived by a bear as a challenge. Never run from a bear. Instead, slowly back away.
• To scare the bear away, make loud noises by yelling, banging pots and pans or using an airhorn. Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms. If you are with someone else, stand close together with your arms raised above your head.
• The bear may utter a series of huffs, make popping jaw sounds by snapping its jaws and swat the ground. These are warning signs that you are too close. Slowly back away, avoid direct eye contact and do not run.
• If a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air. It is usually not a threatening behavior.
• Black bears will sometimes "bluff charge" when cornered, threatened or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact, then slowly back away and do not run.
• If the bear does not leave, move to a secure area.
• Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP's 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).
• Families who live in areas frequented by black bears should have a "Bear Plan" in place for children, with an escape route and planned use of whistles and air horns.
• Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear does attack, fight back!

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