LOWELL, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — We're well out of hibernation season at this point, and according to the Lowell Police Department, a black bear was spotted snooping around one of the city's neighborhoods.
Officials say a black bear was seen in the area of Wentworth Avenue on Sunday, and that residents should practice caution when it comes to dealing with the mammals.
With a black bear passing through, police are asking neighbors to bring in their bird feeders and secure any trash until the coast is clear. The LPD says that anyone that falls under a bear's gaze should not try to approach, and head inside their home instead.
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According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the City of Lowell is just inside the black bears "expanding range," as officials say the statewide population of bears has been migrating eastward from their breeding grounds in Worcester, Middlesex, and Berkshire Counties.
During black bear run-ins when you're not close to shelter, state officials say it is important to make your presence known to the bear with clapping, talking, or making sound while slowly backing away. For bears feeding in yards or porches, officials suggest homeowners try yelling and making noise as a bear's first response to unusual circumstances is to leave.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) reports.
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