Black Bears Spotted Around South Jersey

The search for the black bear or bears wandering around south Jersey continues.

A bear in Mount Laurel (Mount Laurel Police)

A bear was seen on Tuesday morning in a wooded area near Elbo Lane and Hainesport Road according to an alert from Mount Laurel Police who believe the bear was looking for a cool spot to spend the afternoon.

Bears have been spotted around other south Jersey communities including Waterford, Eversham, Medford and Winslow the past few days according to the Courier-Post but officials are not sure if it's the same bear or several.

Use "extreme caution" if you come in contact with a bear, Mt. Laurel Police Lieutenant Stephen Riedener tells 6 ABC, adding: "The last thing you should do is approach it, try to feed it, because it is a wild animal."

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife says bears are the largest land mammal in the state and explains that bears are attracted to residential areas because of garbage that is not properly secured. Bears are wary of people and will not necessarily attack when spotted. Feeding a bear, however, will make that wariness disappear, causing the bruin to become a nuisance or even an aggressor.

It is also illegal to feed a black bear in New Jersey and offenders could be fined $1,000 for each offense.

Michele Pilenza's Bear Encounter