Bear Spotted in Florham Park

Bruin seen running in the area of Brooklake Road on Tuesday.

Bear Trapped in Township Yard Tuesday

The bear was gone by the time police arrived

  Chatham Township Police said that a resident of 206 Longwood Ave. reported that a bear was "trapped" in the backyard Tuesday afternoon. According to Lt. Steven Hennelly, the bear was gone when police arrived at the residence. Further reports came in stating the bear was on Lafayette Avenue heading toward Colony Pool. Multiple residents of the Chathams reported seeing the bear throughout the day. "It was first reported by a Chatham Borough resident on Washington Avenue," Hennelly said. The bear then appears to have walked south into Chatham Township and toward the pool. An announcement was made at Colony Pool, which was open at the time. The Chatham Borough and Chatham Township Police Departments have not received any reports of bear …

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UPDATE: Several Bear Sightings Along Fairmount Avenue, Police Say

Police said several residents saw bears within the 600 and 800 blocks of Fairmount Avenue Thursday.

Chatham Township Police said Thursday afternoon that several residents called in bear sightings near Fairmount Avenue. Police dispatched on car to the 500 block of Fairmount Avenue late Thursday morning, and later released a Nixie alert saying that several other sightings were reported. The bear spotted Thursday morning was last seen running into the woods along Fairmount Avenue. A resident reported seeing the animal at about 11:40 a.m. According to police, they will leave the bear alone unless it ventures into residential areas again and either destroys property or otherwise makes a nuisance. They urge residents to avoid the bears and call 911 if a bear endangers residents. The spring months are when black bears are at their most active, …

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