Today police received a report from a township resident who encountered a black bear earlier this week while walking on a segment of the Kinkora Trail, which connects Island Road and Mansfield Community Park off of East Main Street. Visits by black bears have become somewhat of a regular occurrence in our township over the last few years. Since we haven’t had a bear visit us in a several months, we are reminding the community that they should exercise caution if they see a bear. You can review the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Bear Safety Tips HERE.
Any bear sightings can be reported to police by calling the dispatch center at 609-723-8300. Additionally, sightings, black bear damage, or nuisance behavior can be reported to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s 24-hour hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).