Beware of Black Bear in  Manchester/Toms River/Jackson

Have you seen a black bear in Ocean County?  Residents are being warned by Manchester and Toms River Police Departments to be cautious to their surroundings after a black bear was seen in Manchester on Sunday. 

The siting was reported in the Cedar Glen Homes and Holly Oaks section Sunday morning and Sunday night, police said in a post on Facebook. The bear is not believed to have caused any significant disturbances, police said.  

The bear is approximately 200-250 pounds and was spotting climbing a tree in a homeowner's yard. Officers used sirens and air horns to get the bear to move into the wooded area behind Holly Oaks.   Now, a black bear siting has been reported in Toms River in the area of Whitesville Road and Hope Chapel Road in Jackson. 

So again, please be careful of your surroundings.  You can report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP's 24 hour hotline at 1-877-WARN-DEP.