Police: No Need To Panic About Bear; Safety Tips

[PHOTO of the bear in Howell] Lakewood Police this evening are telling residents not to panic about a black bear seen in Lakewood. The bear cub, spotted in Howell yesterday and today, as well as at the Jackson border, made its way into Lakewood this evening.

Police say they received reports about the bear in the  area of Teaberry Court, Martin Street and in the North Lake Drive area. The bear then walked into the woods in the area of North Lake Drive.

Black bears by nature tend to be wary of humans and avoid people. However, if you encounter a black bear in your neighborhood or outdoors while hiking or camping, follow these common-sense safety tips.

Do not feed bears! Never feed or approach a bear!

* Remain calm if you encounter a bear.
 
* Make the bear aware of your presence by speaking in an assertive voice, singing, clapping your hands, or mak…ing other noises.
 
* Make sure the bear has an escape route.
 
* If a bear enters your home, provide it with an escape route by propping all doors open.
 
* Avoid direct eye contact and never run from a bear. Instead, slowly back away.

* To scare the bear away, make loud noises by yelling, banging pots and pans or using an airhorn. Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms. If you are with someone else, stand close together with your arms raised above your head.
 
* The bear may utter a series of huffs, make popping jaw sounds by snapping its jaws and swat the ground. These are warning signs that you are too close. Slowly back away, avoid direct eye contact and do not run.

* If a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air. It is usually not a threatening behavior.
 
* Black bears will sometimes ‘bluff charge’ when cornered, threatened or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact, then slowly back away and do not run.

* If the bear does not leave, move to a secure area.
 
Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP’s 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).
 
Families who live in areas frequented by black bears should have a “Bear Plan” in place for children, with an escape route and planned use of whistles and air horns.
 
Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear does attack, fight back! TLS. Photo credit Howell/LPD.

 VIDEO of Camp Kanfei Yona coming face to face with a bear during Summer 2010.

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40 COMMENTS

  1. Isn’t a bear scarier than a dog? they take away stray dogs??!!!1

    this is really outrageous – these liberals are KILLING this country.

  2. Actually dogs are far more aggresive than bkack bears. We ran many hikes and canoe trips rhrough the Appalachian trail and Adirondacks and black bears were a common sight. They shy away from humans. However the article mentions that it was a bear cub which would indicate that its mother is nearby which is not good, or it was seperated from its group. Either way if you encounter one keep your distance they are not pets

  3. Wow – nice article, nice posts. But clearly, the most knowledgable poster was R’ Yeshi. I can only imagine what’s its like hiking the Appelachean trail, sighting bears. Rock on, baby. Dudi.

  4. Black bears are a protected species in the State of NJ. Attempting to do harm or harming them WILL result in a heavy fine and possible jail time. Since being re-introduced in the rural north west part of the state their population has been spreading south and east since bears, especially males, need their own territories. If you should encounter one, follow the above advice and contact local law enforcement or the DEP. They are mainly looking for something to eat and leaving your garbage in plastic bags or open cans is an invite to them to lunch. Should they become more numerous, and they probably will, there are suggestions from the DEP on line how to make your property less inviting to them. Bears that become a nuisance will most likely will be tranquilized and removed to less populated areas. In extreme conditions aggressive ones may be destroyed. Most times they are more afraid of you than you are of them.

  5. I was in a camp in upstate new York a few years ago and there were black bears roamIng around the camp grounds every night. I was about 5 feet from one and all I did was walk away slowly just like the rest of the campers. Black bears are not dangerous unless they feel threatened. On the other hand brown bears are really dangerous. That’s why in six flags safari, they put the brown bears behind an electrified fence and the black bears they let them roam around and they can walk right up to your car

  6. Hmmm…
    I just chucked my Black-Berry only to be confronted by a Black-Bear…
    What can the message possibly be?
    TESHUVA RABBOSAI! We must repent! The End is Near!

  7. #1… the first thing it says is not to approach it and you ask to pet it?
    Common sense people…really! Leave it alone and it should leave you alone.

  8. In liberal New York. if you shoot a bear, you get 3 years in jail.

    In conservative Alaska, if you shoot a bear, you get delicious suppers for half a year.

    Liberals = destruction of America.

  9. thank you very much to tls for posting the above information!
    i would not have the slightest clue what to do if i would ever meet up with a bear!
    thank you again for providing such detailed information!

  10. i have a fox that is always in my front yard.
    its cute. it kills random animals in my neighborhood. we like him. we feed him. we named him Cujo. – cant wait for the bear to join us! we’ll name him Pooh 😉

  11. People – you can not kill everything that could possibly harm you. It’s a bear – and it has been living in these woods for thousands of years. The strange mentality to kill everything that could possibly hurt you is insane. Should we wipe out every racoon – cat – dog – groundhog – and large bird because there’s a 1% chance they could kill you?

    People have been living amongst bears of all kinds for thousands of years – peacefully. Know how to behave around them and you will be fine. Enjoy the oppertunity to see such an awesome creature in nature and calm down.

    Maybe once sharks grow legs and roam my backyard – then I will panic.

  12. This is town where the people are afraid of squirrels and chipmunks. A bear will really put the people over the edge. I never saw a group of people so afraid of nature! Sure and when you’re done killing the bear, go after the squirrels, chipmunks, birds……

  13. August –

    People are hungry, and they want to eat the bear. Yes, people have been living amongst the bears for thousands of years, and you don’t want to change that, right???

    Well, people have been EATING bears for thousands of years, but that you DO want to change?????

    I’m hungry. Let me eat the bear, you liberal hypocrite.

  14. i feel sorry for the cub searching for his mama.too bad he ended up wandering into such populated areas. i hope nobody tries to do something stupid like approaching it or trying to feed it, even though people have been warned not to do so. if it’s still wandering around after some time, i say tranquilize it & relocate it.

  15. Does this mean those new garbage and recycling cans need to be returned so the township can give us new “bear proof” garbage cans?

  16. Yid –

    Ummm..I never said anything about having a problem with eating bear. Did I? Did I say that somewhere?

    I simply was making the point that you don’t have to KILL THEM ALL out of fear.

    Eat up – (btw – i been hunting deer and rabbit since I was 7 with my dad…so…explain that)

  17. I saw the bear on the tracks nears james and williams at around 2pm today. It is alive and well. There was a cop keeping an eye on it.

  18. There will be an Asifa Monday night on Black Bears – How to treat them.

    “You can’t live with them…
    ….you can’t live without them”

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