Black Bear Sighting Reported: Town Of North Castle Issues Advisory

ARMONK, NY — Bears can be a little restless this time of the year, but our wildlife neighbors aren't looking to interact with people, so a respectful distance and a little bear-proofing is still the best policy.

The Town of North Castle Police Department sent an advisory out Tuesday morning warning residents of bear sightings in the Armonk area of North Castle.

The most recent sightings were on the Route 128 corridor near the New Castle border.

North Castle police reminded residents that they should be cautious and can brush up on bear information from the NYS DEC and Bearwise.org. They added that bears should not be fed either deliberately or inadvertently. Any food sources that bears might have access to should be removed.

If you are uncertain or uncomfortable when a bear is seen, call the North Castle Police at (914) 273-9500 or use 911.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), black bears are "transient occupants of Westchester County," and their movement tends to increase in June as breeding season begins and young bears look to find their own spaces.

While black bears are usually not dangerous to humans, they may become so if they become conditioned to human presence, or feel threatened.

If you see a bear, do not approach it. If possible, remain indoors, or in a safe location, until it leaves the vicinity. Children and pets should be closely monitored.

If a bear is damaging property or does not leave the area, but the situation is not an emergency, you can call the DEC regional wildlife office during business hours at 845-256-3098.

If a bear presents an immediate danger to public safety, call 911.

"A bear is nothing more than a large raccoon," Tom Koepf of the Department of Environmental Conservation told WABC-TV in 2015. "If there's food out they're going to eat it, they're just scavengers."

The best way to keep bears from entering a yard is to remove any sort of food, public safety officials say. Even bird feeders should be removed by April 1, according to NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recommendations. Garbage cans should be emptied frequently and kept clean. Compost piles should be moved as far away from houses as possible. Grills with leftover grease can also attract bears, officials warned.

The NYS DEC advises that bears will only be encouraged to leave an area unless the bear creates a public disturbance, acts aggressively towards people or pets, attempts to enter homes or is injured and cannot move freely to escape.

SEE ALSO:

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• Mischievous Bear Cub Spotted In Westchester Village On The Hudson
• Bear Sighting: 2 Black Bears Spotted At Intersection In Westchester
• Bear Killed After Attacking Child In Yard Tests Negative For Rabies
• 7-Year-Old Suffered 'Non-Life-Threatening' Injuries In Bear Attack
• Rabid Bear Cub Found In Lewisboro: Westchester County Health Alert