TOMS RIVER, NJ – A Black Bear was seen by several residents in Holiday City West earlier this week on the western edge of the community along the wooded area near the Heritage Minerals site and Crystal Lake area. It was located near the borders of Toms River, Berkeley Township and Manchester.
The bear was also sighted wandering in the community in the area of Torrey Pines Drive on Wednesday.
Bear sightings in Ocean County are relatively uncommon, but they do happen. While the black bears tend to prefer northern New Jersey, populations in the state have increased significantly since Governor Phil Murphy halted the annual bear hunt to cull overpopulation five years ago.
That action pushed bears further south as the population increased. Black bears in New Jersey are now also preparing for their winter hibernation and seeking out food sources as they get ready for a long winter.
This causes them to wander into suburban neighborhoods looking for food.
Residents should give the bears space and avoid confrontations and interactions with them. The bear is most likely just passing through and can travel dozens of miles daily.
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Bears are often skittish around people and unprovoked attacks are rare.