Mischievous Bear Cub Spotted In Westchester Village On The Hudson

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — A bear cub offered a special treat for one Hudson River village, but while the adorable cameo was a perfect photo op, it also served as a reminder to maintain a healthy respect and a healthy distance from the wildlife sharing our Hudson Valley neighborhoods.

In a social media post on Friday evening, the Village of Croton-on-Hudson said that the Croton-on-Hudson Police Department had received several calls Friday afternoon about bear sightings in the village.

A bear cub was spotted in the Hessian Hills neighborhood off of Mount Airy Road.

Officials say that if village residents see a bear in the neighborhood, they should contact the police department non-emergency line at 914-271-5177. In case of an emergency, 911 should be dialed.

Authorities recommend that residents do not approach or interfere with bears. They also advise removing all bear attractants, like food. Children and pets should be closely monitored.

"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.

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