Bear sighting in North Andover
Aug. 27—NORTH ANDOVER — A bear was sighted Friday afternoon in North Andover near Route 114, Sharpners Pond Road and Berry Street, according to the North Andover Police Department. This is a heavily wooded area near Harold Parker State Forest and the Middleton line.
As of Saturday at 12 p.m., no further sightings had been reported, police said in a post on social media.
The Friday sighting follows the capture of a bear last Sunday, Aug. 21 in North Reading by Massachusetts Environmental Police and members of the North Reading Police Department.
That bear was transported "nearby to a wooded location suitable for a bear of this size," according to a release from the North Reading Police Department.
Both of these incidents follow a summer in which bears have been reported in a number of communities in Essex and Middlesex counties, including Middleton, Danvers, Peabody and Wilmington.
The North Andover Police are advising people not to feed or approach a bear if they see one, and not to stop to take photos or videos of it, either.
They are also recommending that residents remove bird feeders from their yards, secure their trash, keep pets on leashes and feed them indoors.
"Most bears will leave people alone," the North Andover Police state in their post. "Should you encounter a bear, stand like a tree, make yourself as large as possible and make as much noise as possible. Never run from a wild animal."
