Have you ever been face-to-face with a bear? In the past year, many people in New Jersey have been reporting an increased number of sightings and encounters with bears in their local areas. This number has more than doubled since last year and it has locals wondering if this rise should be a cause for concern and if there are any actions they should take to stay safe.
This increase in bear sightings has to do with both reproduction rates and environmental factors. On average, a female bear will give birth to two cubs every other year and the offspring have a high chance of survival. When the cubs are old enough to venture off on their own, they may travel up to 100 miles away from their mothers, which largely expands the areas that these bears will make their homes. In addition to this, humans are also partly to blame as they are developing new homes and communities in areas that were previously forests. The more that humans encroach on the natural habitats of any species, there will be “a greater overlap between territories and more possibilities for interactions.”
Such bear sightings range from spotting the mammals roaming around streets, rummaging through garbage cans, cooling off in swimming pools, and, occasionally, attacks on family pets. Despite this, bears have little-to-no interest in humans and are omnivores largely interested in looking for food they can get their paws on and easily digest. Possibly the only reason why a bear would come close to a person would be if it was a mother who felt threatened for her cubs’ safety or if someone got too close to them while eating, but bears are generally wary of coming in contact with people due to their own nature. If you do come across a black bear, slowly back away from it and never run or make eye contact with the animal. Additionally, do not feed bears for your own safety and your wallets because feeding bears in New Jersey is illegal and you could face a penalty of up to $1000 for each offense.
As predicted, the majority of encounters with bears have been in Northern NJ, also referred to as the Skylands region — consisting of the northwestern counties of Morris, Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex — since bears live in mixed hardwood forests, dense swamps, forested wetlands, and other areas with dense cover. However, there have been sightings in all twenty-one New Jersey counties, meaning it is not impossible for these hungry animals to venture out a little more than normal for a taste of the city. So, do “Hoboken-ers” have to worry about coming across a bear on Washington Street or here at Castle Point? Hopefully not, but, as Ducks, it might be a good idea to keep our eyes open.
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