A black bear was sighted Wednesday morning around 7:30 a.m. in the area of Carter Road and Van Kirk Road, according to Lawrence Township officials.
If residents encounter a bear, there are several precautions to take — beginning with remaining calm and not running away from it. Avoid eye contact with the bear, and make sure it has an escape route.
Black bear attacks are extremely rare, but if a black bear should attack, fight back. Do not play dead.
Bear damage, nuisance behavior or aggressive bears should be reported to the Wildlife Control Unit of the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife at 908-735-8793. At night and on the weekend, call the Police Department or the state Department of Environmental Protection’s hotline at 877-WARN-DEP.

