By Katie Wagner, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — Students in Montgomery schools were kept indoors today after a bear was sighted on Skillman Road, on Burnt Hill Road near Route 518 and on Bronson Way, which is located north of Skillman Road, police reported.
Police said they received the first call from a Bronson Way resident about 11:42 a.m., who reported that a large bear wandered off from his backyard. Additional sighting were then called in.
Police said they did not observe the animal, but one resident showed an officer a photograph of the bear, which appeared to weigh about 275 pounds.
As a precautionary measure, schools and other nearby institutions were alerted and the schools discontinued outdoor activities for the rest of the day, police said.
The state Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife has been contacted as well the township’s health department, which is responsible for animal control, police said.
“The district’s school administrators and teachers have been told to keep kids inside,” said Frances Chaves, communications manager for the Montgomery Township School District.
Residents who observe the bear are urged to call police. Further information is available at www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm.
