Upper Saddle River Bear Alert

Finally!! a Swift 911 that is correct and essential and worth reading carefully.

In case you haven’t received it be warned there is a bear in town. Residents in the Old Stone Church area have reported sighting a bear and police and animal control responded, but didn’t find it.

Please note all the information – especially, make a noise, if you see it don’t go near it, don’t run and walk slowly away backwards.

!!!! Don’t provoke the bear, and be aware that if you make the situation worse it will not be a happy ending for the bear.

Yesterday the Police Department was contacted by two residents advising that they had seen a bear on or near their property.  Police Officers responded with the assistance of Bergen County Animal Control and the Upper Saddle River Department of Public Works.  We were unable to locate the bear.  As a precaution this message is being sent to all residents to alert them of this incident.  The last known sighting of the bear was in the Old Stone Church area.  Please be guided by the following information which was obtained from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife:

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.

• Never feed or approach a bear
• Remain calm.
• Make the bear aware of your presence by speaking in an assertive voice, singing, clapping your hands, or making 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, which may be perceived by a bear as a challenge.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. Do not run.
• If the bear does not leave, move to a secure area.
• Families who live in areas with high black bear populations should have a “Bear Plan” in place for children, with whistles, air horns and an escape route.
• Black bear attacks are extremely rare.If a black bear does attack, fight back!

Additional information regarding black bears can be found at the following link: https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm

Just remember this is a New Jersey Black Bear

Not a Grizzly Bear

Or a Kodiak Bear

Keep families and pets safe – keep a watch out when you go outside.

Hopefully he came to town to vote and got lost, and will wander away, but don’t let the bear become a statistic. Protect yourself and the bear.