Around 8:20AM on Sunday, residents noticed a young black bear wandering the streets and yards of the neighborhood behind Zervas Elementary School, adjacent to Cold Spring Park. Newton Police came to monitor the bear’s location. A resident’s doorbell camera recorded the bear and two NPD cruisers tailing it.
The bear moved through the neighborhood, and another door camera recorded it running across a lawn, into Cold Spring Park.
The Newton Police notified the Massachusetts Environmental Police. Sunday evening, the bear was seen again in the neighborhood. Around 9PM Sunday evening, as the police stopped actively monitoring the bear’s location, the bear was settled in a tree in the woods by Cold Spring Park.
The Mayor’s Office and the Newton Police advise residents to maintain a safe distance from bears and other wildlife, and they recommend consulting the Mass.gov page about black bears. That page notes that the range of black bears is expanding into eastern Massachusetts. The page offers tips for preventing problems with bears. These include removing food sources such as bird feeders, securing trash receptacles, feeding pets only indoors, and cleaning greasy barbeques and grills. The Newton Police also recommend keeping pets close by and leashed when out on walks.
While residents are now aware of the bear’s presence, visitors may not be. Patrick Maher said on Sunday, “I have been warning dog walkers and joggers today as they enter Cold Spring Park near my house. Almost all the people I encountered were unaware of the bear. I wonder if the City will post warning signs?”