Video: 3 Bears Strolling Through New Jersey Town Is No Fairy Tale

HASKELL, NJ — Three black bears recently ambled around a Haskell, New Jersey, neighborhood, nosing through trash left at the curb for the garbage truck driver and, generally, just doing the kind of stuff bears do when they think no one is watching.

Was it Mama Bear, Papa Bear and Baby Bear? We don’t know. But we do know the video as seen on the Neighbors app is unbearably cute.

But it’s also a warning.

Though usually solitary animals, black bears sometimes venture into urban areas when they’re crowded out of their habitat. New Jersey wildlife officials estimate there are about 1,000 black bears in the state.

The New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife offers tips about what to do if you encounter a black bear in your neighborhood or on a camping trip. Among them:

• Never feed or approach bears.
• Remain calm and make sure the bear knows you’re there by speaking in a loud, assertive voice. Sing, clap your hands and make other noises to scare it away.
• Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms; if you’re with someone else, stand as close together as possible with your arms raised above your head.
• Stay as far away from the bear as possible and make sure the bear has an escape route.
• Avoid direct eye contact, which the bear may interpret as a challenge. The bear may make huffing noises, swat the ground and make popping sounds by snapping its jaws — a warning signal that you’re too close.
• If a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it's usually not a threatening behavior. The bear may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air.
• Never run from a bear; instead, back away slowly; if you’re in a group, remain with the group. Black bears sometimes “bluff charge” when cornered, threatened or attempting to steal food. If that happens, avoid the inclination to run. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact and slowly back away.
• If the bear refuses to leave, back away slowly to shelter.

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