Westfield Police Say Tuesday They're Tracking Black Bear

WESTFIELD, NJ — After a bear was spotted Monday walking around Cranford, the Westfield police sent out an alert early Tuesday morning saying they were tracking it near Woodland Avenue.

6:39 a.m. ALERT: POLICE ARE TRACKING A BEAR IN THE AREA OF WOODLAND AVE IN WESTFIELD. USE EXTREME CAUTION IN AREA. DO NOT APPROACH BEAR. DO NOT DIAL 9-1-1 IF BEAR SIGHTED, DIAL NON-EMERGENCY LINE (908-789-4000). IF EMERGENCY EXISTS DIAL 9-1-1.

Monday morning, Cranford police had sent out an alert warning residents that a bear was spotted in residential areas, and that they should bring pets indoors.

Police in various towns sent out the following alerts Monday:

10:05: Cranford Advisory: Bear sighting in the area of Hampton Rd. Please avoid the immediate area while police attempt to contain. Pets should be brought indoors.

10:12: Cranford Alert: Bear sighting in the area of Orchard St. Please avoid the immediate area while police attempt to contain. Pets should be brought indoors.

11:10: Garwood Alert: Be advised, a bear is walking on railroad tracks in Cranford behind Walgreens.

11:33: Westfield Alert: Police are tracking a bear in the area of Gallows Hill Rd in Cranford. Use extreme caution in area.

Experts have said that recent changes in the environment, due to people staying inside amid coronavirus, may have been buoying nature and encouraging animals to return to their natural habitats.

But it's also not uncommon for bears to emerge in spring. Five days ago, a bear was spotted in Manahawkin near a McDonald's drive-through.

A bear was also spotted in Cranford and Westfield in June of 2017.

The state Department of Environmental Protection, on their "Be Bear Aware" website, says that black bears are the largest mammal in the Garden State, and have been spotted in all 21 counties.

They rarely attack, but can be dangerous. If you see a black bear, don't approach it.

The site suggests that it's best to avoid leaving food out, if you don't want bears. If you see one, make noise to scare it away. Of 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.

Aside from the Short Hills/Millburn bear, whom state officials failed to capture, people have noticed other wildlife in their New Jersey neighborhoods recently.

Last month, a baby seal was seen frolicking on the Hoboken waterfront two days in a row, a few feet from residential high rises. And several mornings since then, people have spotted two deer prancing down residential streets.

Did you photograph the bear? Email caren.lissner@patch.com and let us know if you want a photo credit or to link.

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