When you live next to where bears live, sometimes you see a black bear running through the neighborhood—at least that was the case in Hamilton, New Jersey on Monday. The Hamilton Township sits next to the Van Nest Wildlife Refuge, which is bear country. That doesn’t change the fact that residents were startled to see one of these large mammals running through their front yards. One resident caught the sprinting bear on video.
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Hamilton Township shared the video, alongside some tips for living with bears, in an Instagram post. Tips include advice for surviving an encounter with a black bear (which is different from an encounter with a brown bear) and things families can do if a bear ever enters their home.
Here are the dos and don’ts:
DON’T
• Feed or approach bears. Especially feeding bears, who will aggressively defend their food.
• Run from bears as it may trigger a chase response.
• Make direct eye contact. Bears may perceive this as a challenge.
DO
• Remain calm and slowly back away.
• Make the bear aware of you by being loud: speak in an assertive voice, yell, sing, or clap your hands. If available, bang pots and pans or use an airhorn.
• Make yourself look big. Wave your arms. Hold your jacket above your head. If you’re in a group, perform these actions together.
• Make sure the bear has an escape route. If a bear enters your home, prop all the doors open.
• Move to a secure area if the bear doesn’t leave.
• If your family lives in an area frequented by black bears, create a “Bear Plan” for children, with an escape route and planned use of whistles and air horns.
Are there are any additional tips you’d add to this list? Perhaps another good one would be to carry bear spray when hiking or walking in bear country.
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Watch a black bear running through a New Jersey neighborhood here: