Like most New Jersey residents they go down to the shore to take a swim in our pristine waters
MIDDLETOWN — A black bear crossed Route 36 in the township's Leonardo section on Friday, and police said they believe it's the same approximately 150-pound animal that visited the Belford section the previous night.
A bear also was spotted wandering through parts of the Leonardo section of the township early Thursday and was seen walking on the Earle Naval Weapons Station's pier by Navy personnel before it jumped into the Sandy Hook Bay and swam to shore around the Leonardo State Marina, near Concord Avenue.
Police Sgt. Billy Colangelo said the highway crossing occurred at 1 p.m. Friday.
There were no injuries or damage, and the bear continued north in the direction of the Raritan Bay.
Colangelo said the bear likely was the same bear that Oceanview Avenue residents had encountered on Thursday.
Joanne Bruzauskas, who lives at Oceanview and 12th Street, said the bear was "very playful. My husband and I were working around the house, and at first we thought it was a big dog. It had no markings or tags. We were within arm's reach of him.
"He wasn't acting like he was threatening. He looked like a baby or maybe a little older. It was jumping up and down fences," she said. "It was dark, and we were trying to take picture, but, as it saw more and more people, it wanted to stay away. We never saw one before. Everyone was so happy and excited."
Colangelo said officers responding to bear reports have been calling state wildlife officials.
A state Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman said when the bear poses no threat to public safety or health, the state relies on local authorities to do what they can to usher the animal back into the wild.
While the animals are not generally aggressive, people are urged to keep their distance, said DEP spokeswoman Karen Hershey said.
MIDDLETOWN — A black bear crossed Route 36 in the township's Leonardo section on Friday, and police said they believe it's the same approximately 150-pound animal that visited the Belford section the previous night.
A bear also was spotted wandering through parts of the Leonardo section of the township early Thursday and was seen walking on the Earle Naval Weapons Station's pier by Navy personnel before it jumped into the Sandy Hook Bay and swam to shore around the Leonardo State Marina, near Concord Avenue.
Police Sgt. Billy Colangelo said the highway crossing occurred at 1 p.m. Friday.
There were no injuries or damage, and the bear continued north in the direction of the Raritan Bay.
Colangelo said the bear likely was the same bear that Oceanview Avenue residents had encountered on Thursday.
Joanne Bruzauskas, who lives at Oceanview and 12th Street, said the bear was "very playful. My husband and I were working around the house, and at first we thought it was a big dog. It had no markings or tags. We were within arm's reach of him.
"He wasn't acting like he was threatening. He looked like a baby or maybe a little older. It was jumping up and down fences," she said. "It was dark, and we were trying to take picture, but, as it saw more and more people, it wanted to stay away. We never saw one before. Everyone was so happy and excited."
Colangelo said officers responding to bear reports have been calling state wildlife officials.
A state Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman said when the bear poses no threat to public safety or health, the state relies on local authorities to do what they can to usher the animal back into the wild.
While the animals are not generally aggressive, people are urged to keep their distance, said DEP spokeswoman Karen Hershey said.
