Black Bear Spotted In East Brunswick's Lawrence Brook Area

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - A black bear has been spotted in the Lawrence Brook area., according to police.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation and have asked residents to remain calm.

"There is no cause for concern as it currently appears the bear is passing through the area," police said.

Black bears, by nature, tend to be wary of people. If you are indoors, stay there and call the Police at 732-390-6901 or the DEP hotline at 877-927-6337 (877-WARN DEP).

The best way to keep bears away is to avoid attracting them with food or garbage. Black bears learn very quickly, and bears that are fed intentionally or unintentionally by leaving out food or garbage will associate people with food.

Bears will eat almost anything, including human food, garbage, pet food, birdseed, and small livestock. One person feeding a bear can create a problem for the entire neighborhood. If you encounter a black bear in your neighborhood, follow these safety tips.

• Do not feed bears.
• Do not approach bears.
• Do not run from bears.
• Do not make direct eye contact.
• Remain calm and slowly back away.
• Make the bear aware of you.
• Be loud: speak in an assertive voice, yell, sing, or clap your hands. If available, bang pots and pans or use an airhorn.
• Make yourself look big. Wave your arms. Hold your jacket above your head.
• If you’re in a group, stay together and perform these actions together.
• Make sure the bear has an escape route. If a bear enters your home, prop all the doors open.
• If the bear doesn’t leave, move to a secure area.
• If your family lives in an area frequented by black bears, create a “Bear Plan” for children, with an escape route and planned use of whistles and air horns.
• Black bear attacks are rare. If a black bear does attack, fight back. Aim for the snout and/or eyes. Use anything at hand: (knife, sticks, rocks, binoculars, backpack or kick the bear).
• Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP’s 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).

For additional bear safety tips, visit the NJ DEP website at https://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bears/bear-encounters.html