wildlife

Black Bear Relocated After Multiple Sightings in North Reading Area

Contributed Photo

A black bear believed to have been spotted multiple times in the North Reading, Massachusetts area has been captured and relocated to a new area, North Reading police said Monday.

Police said they've received several calls reporting black bear sightings this month, including one on Foley Drive when the animal attacked chickens. There were other reports of the wandering bear from Haverhill Street and Gowing Lane.

Black bears are not typically aggressive toward humans, according to wildlife experts, but they can become a nuisance if they become used to human sources of food, like trash, bird feeders, or pet food left outside. If you encounter a bear, experts recommend yelling and making a lot of noise to try to scare it off.

North Reading police called in the Massachusetts Environmental Police to help deal with the bear. The animal was captured Sunday around 7 p.m. and taken to a new home. It was also tagged.

While police believe this bear may be the same one spotted several times in town and surrounding areas in recent weeks, residents should still be on the lookout. Multiple black bears are spotted in the area every year.

"Bears do not necessarily pose a threat to the community. But we ask residents who see a bear to not interact with it or track it, but to call our department immediately. In this instance, the biggest danger is that a bear will learn to associate human activity and domestic poultry as food sources," Chief Michael Murphy said.

To limit bear conflicts, experts suggest taking down bird feeders, securing trash and protecting things like chicken coops, bee hives or crops with electric fencing - normal chicken wire won't stop a hungry bear.

Contact Us