What's the Latest on the Bear in Woodbridge? Wednesday Update

Woodbridge, NJ - What's the latest on the bear wandering through Iselin Tuesday?

"They lost sight of the bear and as of this time it has not been seen since yesterday afternoon," Capt. Roy Hoppock told Patch Wednesday morning.

The bear was seen in backyards near Iselin Middle School and near Kennedy Park School Tuesday morning and afternoon. The schools were nervous about kids walking home alone from the bus, and asked parents to meet their kids at bus stops Tuesday. The bear is a medium-sized bear and he is thought to be bedded down in a wooded area somewhere in or near Iselin, police said.

Residents should not be surprised to see a bear in Woodbridge Township. A black bear was seen in Scotch Plains on June 8; a second was spotted on June 9 and a baby black bear was seen in South Brunswick in late April. Late spring and early summer is the time of year when black bears can typically be reported traveling through residential areas, as the animals are moving from one area to another through natural wooded corridors, South Brunswick police Capt. James Ryan said at the time of their bear sighting.

Black bears reside in all 21 counties of New Jersey. Most bears avoid human contact and live in wooded areas away from residential neighborhoods.

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife has been notified about the bear.