Bear Sightings Raise Local Awareness

Bear sightings have been popping up all over Union County, causing several people to take notice and speak about the recent developments.

One such case is Martha Carrion, a resident of Berkeley Heights who recently had a bear snoop around her yard, sniff her flowers, and walk around the property with her baby daughter nearby.

“(The bear) was just out there snooping. My daughter was out there about five feet away,” said Carrion. “She started screaming, but (the bear) didn’t do anything; he just turned around and kept going on his own way.”

Carrion, who had her husband take a snapshot of the bear while it was on their property, said she contacted the police, but was surprised when no officers showed up to the scene. 

The townships of Berkeley Heights and Mountainside have both been affected by bear sightings, causing each township’s police department to issue precautions and warnings to residents who may encounter the wild animals. In particular, Richard Latargia of the Mountainside Police Department told Patch that an alert system alerts residents with proper instructions for encountering bears.

“We’re just telling people to call us, inform us take necessary precautions, like the garbage and stuff like that, keeping it tidy,” said Latargia.

Lieutenant Frank Fortunato of the Berkeley Heights Police Department told Patch that, in most cases, bears have just been wandering around property without causing any real damage or threat to residents. If a disruption is caused by the creatures, the police will notify the New Jersey Department of Fish, Game, and Wildlife.

“Fish and game won’t come out unless the bear is posing a threat,” said Fortunato. “They’ll come out if the bear is treed and shoot it with a tranquilizer.”