A black bear that has been spotted in several communities on the South Shore of Massachusetts was spotted in Duxbury on Tuesday.
The bear, which has affectionately been dubbed "Boo Boo," was seen in the area of 348 Elm St. sitting in a backyard near a birdfeeder.
Duxbury police urged residents to keep a safe distance from the bear and to secure any food if he is spotted.
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"These animals don’t want to interact with us. They, for the most part, want to be left alone," said Eddy Ramos of Duxbury Animal Control.
The Aufieros live not far from the first spotting.
"After my mom looked out the window, she yelled, 'Keep the dog inside,' and then I knew there was something in our back yard. Then I looked out the window and saw there was a bear in my backyard," Luke Aufiero said.
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The latest sighting comes a week after the bear was seen on trails in the Whitney Woods near the Wompatuck State Park in Cohasset.
Amateur photographer Michael Snow says he'd been tracking the bear for two weeks and snapped photos of it in the Cohasset woods last week.
Wildlife experts say it's rare for a bear to make its way this far south.
"We're fairly confident this is the same bear that's wandered through from Attleboro, Norfolk, Taunton, and finally all the way out to the coast," said black bear biologist Dave Wattles with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Wattles says the bear is likely a 2-year-old male that's looking for territory of its own.
People are urged to leave it alone, as it's probably already stressed from wandering in unfamiliar land.
"The last thing we want people to do is to try to find the bear to try to get closer so they can get a picture or a selfie," said Wattles.
As the bear population grows in the western and northern parts of the state, it's becoming more common for them to make their way east of Interstate 495 and as far as Route 128.
There are about 4,500 black bears in Massachusetts, according to the state.
They're always looking for food, so wildlife experts urge people to remove bird feeders, trash and pet food from the outside of their property to keep the bears away and so they don't become accustomed to finding food in residential neighborhoods.
This page on Massachusetts' state website has basic information about bears, and another page provides information on what to do and what not to do if a bear is spotted in your area.
