Black Bears Seen Around Martinsville

With black bears venturing too close to homes all around New Jersey, residents have reported sightings throughout Martinsville over the past week.

Two residents reported seeing a bear on Mountain Top Road in Bridgewater, climbing over decks and walking through backyards.

Resident Ty Holzapfel said he saw a bear heading down the road in the direction of Stony Hill before going back into the woods Tuesday.

“I haven’t see it since,” he said.

Barry Walker, of Mountain Top Road, said Tuesday that he saw the bear walking through his backyard.

And another resident reported seeing a black bear at the bottom of Hoffman and Foothill roads Wednesday afternoon.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has released information about how to stay safe from bears, and the Bridgewater Township Police have posted the information on their Facebook page.

Black bears, according to the release, have been venturing too close to homes and into backyards in search of food. These bears have possibly learned bad habits from people who have invited them intentionally or unintentionally by simply leaving food or garbage outside.

In New Jersey, the release said, it is illegal to actually feed bears, and anyone who does could face a penalty of $1,000 for each offense.

The NJDEP has offered tips for keeping bears away from your property. These tips are:

• Use bear-proof garbage containers, or store all garbage in airtight containers.
• Put garbage out only on collection days, not the nights before.
• Wash garbage containers with a disinfectant solution in order to remove any odors that could attract bears.
• Feed all dogs and cats outside only during daylight hours, and remove uneaten food after feeding them.
• Clean all outdoor grills thoroughly after using them.
• Do not put meat or sweet foods in compost piles.
• Try not to feed birds, and, if you do, only do so during daylight hours between Dec. 1 and April 1 when bears are less active.
• Pick up fruits that fall from fruit trees and discard them.
• Think about installing electric fencing to protect crops, beehives and small livestock from bears.
• Report any damage from black bears to the local police or the NJDEP.

For more information, visit nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearinfo.htm.