ANOTHER BEAR VISITS PRINCETON: This black bear was spotted early on the morning of June 21 on Province Line Road. Bear sightings have caused concern in the community, prompting local police to schedule a special informational workshop that was held Tuesday night. Photo by Nessa Tallo

Ever since a bear was spotted twice last week in Montgomery Township, marking the second series of sightings this season, calls have been coming in to local police from residents anxious about possible encounters with the animals. To alleviate fears, representatives from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Management were scheduled to appear last night at the Princeton Township Municipal Building for a special workshop on bear safety.

While the event was to occur after Town Topics’ press time, officials spoke Monday about just what was planned. “There have been quite a few people calling in with concerns,” said Mark Johnson, the Township’s animal control officer. “They call if the bushes are moving or they see a helicopter flying overhead, worried that a bear is out there and wondering what to do. It’s not that we don’t want people to call, but we want them to calm down and think about the situation. Once they are better informed, they won’t be as anxious and they’ll know what to do.”

Mr. Johnson is convinced that a juvenile male black bear struck by a car and killed on Interstate 95 in the early morning of June 1, in the northbound lane near Exit 4, is the same one that was seen wandering around Princeton the previous week. That one was first seen on the 400 block of Terhune Road near Governor’s Lane. Later, the bear was spotted on North Harrison Street near Terhune Road, and then wandering in the woods between Terhune Road and Princeton Shopping Center. The bear’s next stops were Conte’s restaurant and the Princeton Hospital garage on Witherspoon Street. He was last seen in a tree at the cemetery adjacent to Princeton Public Library.

“I’m not an expert, but I can almost guarantee it was the same one,” Mr. Johnson says. “The color phase was the same — a pretty cinnamon color, and there are not too many with that in New Jersey.”

The non-aggressive black bear spotted near Cherry Valley Road and Coverdale Drive last Wednesday night, and again the next morning on Province Line and Rosedale roads, is not the same one that roamed around Princeton a few weeks ago, officials have said, further bolstering Mr. Johnson’s hypothesis.

Bear sightings are not uncommon in this area during late spring and early summer months. “The juvenile males are leaving mom and they have to find their own turf,” Mr. Johnson said. “It’s the busiest time of year for them. Every year it’s getting worse and worse, because the number of bears we have up north is increasing. Where else can they go?”

Most people fear bears because they associate them with the giant grizzlies that do attack, and are found in places like Alaska and the northwest. But the animals that appear in central New Jersey are black bears, who tend to be wary of people and rarely attack. The Department of Environmental Protection has a 24-hour hotline [1-877-927-6337] for anyone experiencing damage or behavior that is a nuisance caused by black bears.

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Management offers many tips on their website [www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearfacts_homeowner.htm] about dealing with bears. Homeowners in areas frequented by black bears should take steps to avoid attracting them with food or garbage. This is the best way to prevent the animals from becoming a nuisance.

“Some residents may observe black bears using yards as part of their natural travel corridors,” the website reads. “The mere presence of a black bear is not considered a problem.” Advising against giving the animals food, the website continues, “One person feeding bears can create a problem bear that may affect the entire neighborhood.”

Black bears learn quickly, and those fed by leaving out food or garbage will associate people with food, the website continues. “Bears will eat almost anything including human food, garbage, pet food, birdseed, and small livestock. Once they find an easily accessible food source, like garbage in a housing development, they will lose their wariness of people and may return to the available food source. These bears can become a nuisance or aggressive and may have to be trapped and aversively conditioned or destroyed.”

People are advised to remain calm if encountering a bear. Never approach them. Making the bear aware of one’s presence by clapping or speaking in a loud voice is important, as is making sure the bear has an escape route. Avoid direct eye contact and never run from a bear. Instead, back away slowly.

“These bears are ten times more scared of you than you are of them,” Mr. Johnson said. “Just take precautions.”