Black Bear And Cub Spotted In Westchester Park, Pic Released

IRVINGTON, NY — Every once in a while, bears like to remind those of us in Southern Westchester that the Hudson Valley is their home too, but it seems those reminders are becoming ever more frequent recently.

Irvington Recreation and Parks officials announced Monday night that a black bear and a cub were spotted in the Irvington Woods Park, near the Hermit's Grave. They recommended that residents and trail users avoid the Hermit's Grave and Monument Loop trailway system and general area at this time.

The department posted a photo of the adult bear here.

Last month, the Yonkers Police Department warned that they had received reports of one or more black bears sighted in the Fox Terrace area next to the Dunwoodie Golf Course. They said that the wild animal (or animals) retreated into the wooded areas without any incident. Several others bear sightings in Yonkers have been reported since.

In May of 2015, a black bear was spotted several times in Yonkers, near Desmond Ave. and the Bronx River Parkway, before finally being tranquilized and captured in a wooded area near Central Park Ave. The bear was then transported to the Cranberry Mountain State Park in Putnam County and released.

"A bear is nothing more than a large raccoon," Tom Koepf of the Department of Environmental Conservation told WABC-TV at the time. "If there's food out they're going to eat it, they're just scavengers."

The best way to keep bears from entering a yard is to remove any sort of food, public safety officials say. Even bird feeders should be removed by April 1, according to NYS DEC recommendations. Garbage cans should be emptied frequently and kept clean. Compost piles should be moved as far away from houses as possible. Grills with leftover grease can also attract bears, officials warned.

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) advises that bears will only be encouraged to leave an area unless the bear creates a public disturbance, acts aggressively towards people or pets, attempts to enter homes or is injured and cannot move freely to escape.

Any aggressive, attacking or emergency behavior should immediately be reported by calling 911. Nuisance reports of animals can be reported to the NYS DEC here.

The DEC has many useful links that provide more information about black bears, reducing human-bear conflicts and black bear encounters.

SEE ALSO:

• Yonkers Bear Sightings Have Neighbors On Edge: Police Release Photo
• Large Black Bear Sighting Reported: New Castle Police Issue Alert
• Bear Sighting Reported: New Castle Police Issue Alert
• New Castle Police Issue Bear Advisory
• Bear Takes Stroll Around Peekskill: WATCH
• Lewisboro Police Warn About Bears
• Police Issue Advisory About Bear Sighting In New Castle