Small Black Bear Spotted Near Chatham

A small black bear that was spotted in New Providence this morning is now in a wooded area off Central Avenue, near the Chatham border.

The report comes the same day as

The New Providence Police Department tracked the bear's movements around the borough after receiving numerous calls from residents who spotted the bear. The first call was received just before 11 a.m.

"He was everywhere and eventually we directed him into the woods in Chatham and let Chatham know," said Lieutenant Theresa Gazaway of the New Providence Police Department. "That was the last sighting; we had him in the woods, and [NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife] was notified, and we were just tracking his progress."

Gazaway said the police used their sirens to direct the bear into the woods, as bears do not like loud noises, and said he will not be bothered unless he becomes a danger to anyone.

"To be honest with you, as long as he's in that wooded area, no one is going to bother him," Gazaway said. "If we get more calls on him, we're going to track him. He's wildlife ... I don't know how many pounds he was, but he was a young bear."

Although the DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife was contacted, they did not come to New Providence for this bear sighting.

"They won't come unless the bear is up a tree," Gazaway said. "It depends on every situation. Today, they probably have a lot of bear calls so unless you have it contained somehow, they may not respond right away."

Gazaway said if any resident sees a bear, immediately call the New Providence Police Department at 908-665-1111. Residents can also all 9-1-1.

If a bear is sighted in New Providence, Gazaway said NPPD will track the bear and try to get him to go into a wooded area, where he's not in a residential area.

The spring months are when black bears are at their most active, according to the NJDEP. They lose about half of their body weight during hibernation. When they wake up, they begin the process of packing the weight back on.

for some bear safety tips, including protecting your property and staying safe if a bear attacks.