Multiple Bear Sightings in Princeton on Tuesday Night

UPDATE:

Per West Windsor Police at 11 a.m.: Juvenile Black Bear Spotted near Canal Road by Princeton ACO. Do not approach as he is no threat at this time. Report any sightings to WWPD. We do not have an eye on this bear at this time but it was tracked over the canal from Princeton.

Per Princeton Township Police at 10 a.m. on Wednesday: Bear sighting update - last seen in the area of Alexander St. near Basin, heading toward IAS. Animal control has been advised.

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A juvenile black bear was spotted multiple times in Princeton on Tuesday night and was last seen at the east end of Nassau Street around 10:45 p.m., according to Princeton Borough Police. 

"I saw the bear myself, I saw him in several locations on Linden Lane, just north of Nassau Street," Borough Police Lt. Robert Currier told Patch. "You can tell he's scared and he's looking to find a place where it's safe."

He estimates the bear to be about 150 lbs. 

"It's a black bear, and the animal control officer said it's a juvenile," Currier said. 

Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson was in town Tuesday night tracking the bear. Officials hoped New Jersey Division Fish and Wildlife could also come out, but were told that was not possible unless the bear was confined to one area. 

The bear sightings began at 8:35 p.m. when Princeton Township Police tweeted "We're getting reports of a bear in the area of Shadybrook/Route 27. Please make sure garage doors are closed and garbage cans are secure."

About 10 minutes later, the police tweeted that the bear was seen in the area of Tyson Lane. 

There is a growing number of black bears in New Jersey and Princeton is not immune, officials from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife's Black Bear Project told residents last month.

“We have a lot of bears in this state and we will continue to have a lot of bears in this state," said Kelcey Burguess of the Black Bear Project. "That’s the way it’s going to be.”

South Brunswick Police also received The sightings were reported on Route 27, on Promenade Boulevard, and off Raymond Road, according to police. 

The wayward bruin was spotted going through backyards and crossing roadways in the Kingston area on Monday.

Last month,The bear was said to be a large male (see photo) weighing approximately 300 lbs. South Brunswick Police also received a call reporting a bear on Broadway Road in June.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued some common sense steps for residents to take in order to reduce the risk of attracting bears, while enhancing public safety.

Most importantly is to not feed bears, intentionally or otherwise. Intentionally feeding black bears is illegal in New Jersey and punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per offense. 

A more commonly found problem is people unintentionally feeding bears, caused when homeowners unknowingly leave garbage, pet food and bird feed available for bears to find and eat, according to the DEP. 

The DEP said bears eventually learn to associate food with people, their homes and their living areas. This association can lead to the bears becoming a nuisance by regularly foraging in neighborhoods because residences are seen as easy sources of food.