NORTH BRUNSWICK – Residents are reporting bear sightings in the Hidden Lake and Governor’s Pointe sections of North Brunswick.
Several North Brunswick Township police units and Animal Control responded to the area on May 10, according to information provided by the police department. Upon their arrival, they did not find any evidence of the bear. Police will remain in the area as a precaution.
Spring is the time of year when bear sightings increase in the region. The N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) stresses that bears simply pass through an area and not cause a specific problem, such as breaking into trash or accessing food sources on resident property.
According to the DEP, never feed bears, never run from a bear, avoid eye contact, make loud noises to scare a bear away, avoid bird feeders during bear season and remove all uneaten food and food bowls used by pets fed outdoors.
Call 911 if there is an immediate threat to humans or pets. To report a nuisance bear, call the DEP’s 24-hour hotline at 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).
For more information, visit www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearfacts.