Two separate black bear sightings in Portsmouth earlier this week startled residents and raised new questions about bears in urban areas.
Early this week, two Portsmouth residents reported black bear sightings to police. Officers responding to the calls said they believed the bears were cubs, but were unsure if a larger bear was with them. Bear sightings are rare instances in the Seacoast, but N.H. Fish and Game’s Wildlife Damage Specialist Rob Calvert says that this behavior isn’t entirely out of character.
“There’s possibilities that as they find available foods, which would be sometimes foods that are not what we would normally want to have bears have, like birdfeeders, and garbage, and things, they will kind of interact in those kinds of areas.”
Calvert had simple advice for N.H. residents to keep from getting unwanted visitors – keep things clean.
“Pretend you’re camping in your home. Don’t leave attractions out that would get you a visitation from something you don’t want to see.”
