Quincy police want residents to be alert after an officer saw a black bear roaming the area behind BJ’s overnight.
According to a tweet from the department, the bear was in the wooded area behind the store just before midnight. In one video the bear can be seen looking up a tree.
Anyone who sees the bear should call the police non-emergency line at 617-473-1212 or 911 if it is an emergency. The police want the call even if the bear is in the woods or another remote area.
Black bears have been expanding their range in Massachusetts for decades, according to the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, and sightings in eastern Massachusetts have become more common.
Black bears are generally not aggressive towards humans and can often be spooked if you make loud noises and wave your arms. Residents must keep a safe distance from animals. They can become a nuisance when they get used to human interaction and feed on human food sources such as bird feeders or garbage.
Last month, a black bear in Arlington caused delays in the start of the school day. Video recently surfaced of a dog tackling a bear in a Cohasset backyard, while another video shows a cheeky bear stealing lunch from a worker’s truck in Sunapee, New Hampshire. There have also been recent sightings in Newton and Needham.
