by Davy James, Staff Writer
An accidental tourist was spotted throughout South Brunswick on Tuesday and Wednesday, as police received numerous phone calls reporting a black bear cub in the area.
”At 2 p.m. (Tuesday) we had a reported sighting of a young black bear in the area of Route 27 and Beekman Road,” said police spokesman Sgt. James Stoddard. Before officers arrived at the scene the bear went off into a wooded area.”
On Wednesday at 9 a.m. police received three 911 calls from motorists reporting a bear on Route 1 around the area of Sand Hill Road.
”We had reports of the bear crossing the roadway near McDonald’s on Route 1 near Sand Hill Road before running back into the woods,” Sgt. Stoddard said. “At 10:35 a.m. we had a call of a bear spotted at Beechwoods Park near Beekman Road, one mile north of the sighting earlier in the morning.”
The bear was last seen an hour or two later on Wednesday near Avenue A and Finnegans Lane, police said.
”We alerted schools and residents that there was a bear in the area as well as alerting the Fish and Game Department,” Sgt. Stoddard said. “The hope is that if the animal is just left alone it will make its way back to a more suitable habitat. Were it to end up in a tree or something, the animal will be tranquilized.”
School officials sent an e-mail to parents on Wednesday and an alert via phone of the situation.
”We’re actively working with police and animal control to monitor the location of the bear,” said Rebecca Leonard, school district spokeswoman. “For dismissal time (Wednesday), police monitored our bus stops on Finnegans Lane, the area around Oakdale trailer park, as well as walkers from Brunswick Acres. That monitoring was ongoing from 3:15 p.m. until approximately 3:50 p.m. We take every measure possible to ensure the safety of students and staff.”
Police urged the public to avoid contact with the bear and to report any sightings immediately.
”We ask the public to stay away from the animal if they have a sighting and alert us,” Sgt. Stoddard said. “We will take the steps necessary to protect the public.”
