Bears Spotted In Long Valley — Here's What Police Say You Should Do

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Despite a slight drop in reported bear activity statewide, local police are warning Long Valley residents to stay alert as spring typically brings an increase in black bear sightings.

Bear sightings in and around Washington Township have become common in recent weeks, with community members posting on social media about non-aggressive bears seen in the area.

"As bear activity increases in our area, we’d like to kindly remind the residents of Long Valley to help keep both our community and local wildlife safe," police wrote.

In a message to the community, NJ Fish & Wildlife noted that black bears by nature tend to be wary of people, but offered a few safety tips:

• Do not feed bears
• If you live in an area with a large black bear population, close all windows and doors in your house when you are cooking, or you are away.
• Have a “Bear Plan” in place for children including the use of whistles, air horns and an escape route.
• Consider installing motion sensor lighting to try to frighten bears away if they enter your yard.

Black bears inhabit a variety of habitats, including mixed hardwood forests, dense swamps, and forested wetlands, with a preference for densely wooded areas. In New Jersey, prime bear habitat is found mainly in Sussex, Passaic, Warren and Morris counties.

Police also warned that leaving garbage and food waste outside can quickly attract bears to residential areas. To help reduce the risk of bear encounters, here are a couple other quick tips:

1. Take out trash only on pickup day. Putting garbage out the night before is an open invitation for hungry bears.
2. Store trash indoors or in a locked shed. Keep bins out of reach whenever possible.
3. Eliminate other attractants. Bring in bird feeders at night, clean grills regularly, and avoid leaving pet food outside.
4. Clean your bins regularly. Rinse out trash bins to remove food odors that attract wildlife.

Black bears actively forage for food after emerging from their dens in spring and again in the fall to prepare for winter. They are also highly active during the breeding season, which runs from May through August.

This year, state officials have logged 148 bear incidents — 32 sightings and 116 reports of damage and nuisance. Overall, this represents an 11.38 percent decrease from the same time period last year.

Of the 148 incidents, 20 of them took place in Morris County, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said.