By Michael Sol Warren | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
When the humans are home, the bears will roam.
Bear sightings surged in the first half of 2020 compared to the same time frame last year, according to new statistics released in June by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
The DEP reported 147 bear sightings around the state in that period. That’s a 93% increase from the 76 sightings in the first half of last year. The figures cover bear sightings and complaints from Jan. 1 to June 21.
Larry Hajna, a DEP spokesman, indicated that the increase says less about changes in the bear population and more about people spending increased time at home due to coronavirus-related restrictions.
“This is the time of year when bears are looking for habitat, particularly younger males that have left their mothers,” Hajna said in a statement. “Reports may have increased due to more people being at home seeing bears as they disperse into habitats.”
General complaints of bears being a nuisance or inflicting damage are up nearly 40%, with 327 complaints so far this year compared to 234 this time last year.
The 474 total bear incidents — sightings and complaints combined — in the first half of 2020 mark a 53% increase from 310 incidents in the same time frame last year.
The report only includes bear sightings and complaints reported to the DEP. Any bear activity reported to local police or other agencies without the involvement of the DEP is not included.
The report breaks down the bear incidents into three categories, with Category 1 involving the most severe incidents. Category 1 reports increased slightly, from 13 in the first half of 2019 to 15 so far in 2020. Reports of bears entering homes have doubled, though reports of bears being aggressive have decreased from last year.
Less severe incidents — like property damage and bothering unprotected bee hive complaints — are classified by the state as Category 2. Reports of bears going through garbage and being a general nuisance are the two most frequent complaints in this category. Overall, Category 2 incidents have increased about 38% since last year.
The least severe bear reports are grouped into Category 3, which has seen a 70% increase in complaints since last year. Sightings make up the majority of reports in this category, but vehicle strikes and reports of bears bothering bird feeders are also up. Reports of injured bears and bears found dead are down.
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