As Bears Get Ready For Winter, Westchester Towns Report String Of New Sightings

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Westchester bears mostly like to keep to themselves, but as fall arrives, thoughts of storing calories for the long winter can take priority over a healthy distrust of the neighbors.

Consequently, Westchester towns and villages have reported a string of recent black bear sightings this week. Cases of bears making their presence known have been reported in Cortlandt, Mount Pleasant and most recently, Ossining.

"Fun fact: We have bears in Westchester," the Ossining Police Department said in a message to the community. "We are aware of the reports of a juvenile Black Bear in the unincorporated area of the Town in the vicinity of the Woods Condos. Please leave the bear alone. Make noise to scare it away if need be. They are looking for food to prepare to hibernate, so secure your garbage and recycling, and of course, DO NOT feed the bears."

On Thursday, bear sightings were reported in Cortlandt and Mount Pleasant.

"The Supervisor's Office received a few reports of a black bear sighting in the northern part of the Town of Cortlandt (Maple Ave and Kent Drive)," town officials said. "If you happen to spot a Bear please do not approach or disturb."

A small black bear, possibly with her cubs, was sighted on Thursday morning, according to an advisory from the Town of Mount Pleasant Police Department.

The bear was seen in the Stevens/Elwood area of Hawthorne late in the morning.

Police urged residents to use caution and to report any sightings.

Another black bear was seen along Bradhurst Avenue on Friday, according to Mount Pleasant police.

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 this time of year.

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

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, 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.

Find more information and resources, here.

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