Coffee may go the way of the dodo if the recent trend of morning bear sightings continues in Millstone.
Resident John Gordon just turned onto Burnt Tavern from Route 571 at 8:45 a.m. on June 15 when a black bear crossed in front of him and headed east, according to his wife Margaret Gordon.
“He was quite shocked to have come across a bear in Millstone,” Gordon said.
Her husband continued to drive toward Route 537 and stopped at the next house where he saw a man outside with his child and dog, she said.
“He told them what he saw and recommended he take the child and dog inside for safety,” Gordon said. “The occupant then called the New Jersey State Police at my husband’s request.”
Gordon’s husband reported the bear sighting to the State Police as well, she said.
There has been a string of sightings in Millstone since May 29 when a black bear spent most of morning lounging in and around a pond along Baird Road near Conover Road. The State Police responded to the scene that day and warned onlookers not to get too close before the bear walked off into the woods.
A Witches Hollow Road resident nerves were frazzled when she a bear walking toward her and her daughter at 8:15 a.m. on June 10.
“I was leaving my house with my 1-year-old and walking right down my street was a bear,” Denise Ragoza said. “It came right up to the car and continued walking down the street and into neighbors’ backyards as I watched.”
Ragoza said she reported the sighting to the State Police and Township Administrator Phil Del Turco.
“I think the residents in our community should be aware of the fact that the state is allowing, and has been allowing for years, bears to be brought in to live in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area,” Ragoza said. “I had no idea of this until I contacted the State Police and then the township administrator.”
Ragoza said she expected the state to remove the bear from her neighborhood.
“The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife did not plan on doing anything to remove the bear from the residential community but simply leaves the bear alone to wander,” she said. “This is extremely disturbing since the residents I have spoken to seem to be unaware that there is even the remote possibility a bear is living in this area.”
The state does not consider a black bear passing through a residential area a problem, as long as the animal behaves and poses no threat, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The NJDEP offers various tips for minimizing the potential for conflicts with bears at www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearinfo.htm. Some of these tips include using bear-resistant garbage cans, washing garbage cans frequently, removing pet food bowls from the outdoors after pets feed, cleaning outdoor grills and installing electric fencing to protect crops, beehives and livestock.
Black bear attacks are rare but a person should fight back if a bear does attack, according to the NJDEP. To avoid an attack, those who see a bear should remain calm and avoid eye contact while slowly backing up and making sure the animal has an escape route, according to the NJDEP.
The state developed a “Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy” that authorized a black bear hunt in the northwest part of the state in December 2010. Prior to the hunt, the NJDEP estimated New Jersey had 3,400 black bears. Hunters killed 591 black bears during the six-day cull last year, according to NJDEP.
The NJDEP released a new documentary film and companion school curriculum on June 6 as part of its continuing effort to educate New Jersey residents about co-existing with black bears. The 60-minute film titled, "Living with New Jersey Black Bears" shows viewers the world of the black bear and details how the state manages its bear population. "Understanding Black Bears," is an adapted and expanded classroom version of the documentary, which covers 11 topics and has 29 corresponding classroom activities. School systems and teachers can receive the film and companion material free by contacting Michelle Smith at 609-259-6961 or [email protected].
For more information on the state’s black bear population, visit www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm.
