ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS — A black bear was spotted in a community much more accustomed to the occasional dolphin sighting, heading into Memorial Day weekend.
On Friday, the Atlantic Highlands Police Department shared several updates about “multiple black bear sightings in the area of Upper East Highland Avenue and Lenape Woods.”
Bear incidents are up dramatically across NJ
Both Lenape Woods and Mount Mitchill Park were closed for a stretch of time during the sightings, as a precaution.
Atlantic Highlands bear sighting map (Google Maps) NJ
(Google Maps)
The first notice was before noon, with another update two hours later and a third post around 3 p.m.
“Upon speaking with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife they believe that the bear will move on from Atlantic Highlands soon,” police said, adding that the state would not respond to remove the bear unless “it gets into a fixed position, such as a tree or an enclosure.”
From January through late spring, there were at least 473 sightings and nuisance and damage reports involving bears across 17 counties, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.
Those did not include sightings and incidents handled by police departments without DEP assistance, such as in Atlantic Highlands.
Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com
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