Southwick Police Warn Of Daily Bear Sightings
SOUTHWICK (CBS/AP) — Police in Southwick are warning residents that bears are being spotted on a daily basis and have settled into the community in large numbers.
Southwick Police say in a Facebook posting that the black bear population has exploded in the Western Massachusetts town in the past four to five years, and they're receiving calls reporting bear sightings every day.
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They say bears can now been seen anywhere, at any time, and are roaming throughout neighborhoods.
Police say they believe they're looking for food and most of the time will run away if they see a person. However, they're warning that the animals can become aggressive if they feel cornered or threatened.
"Do not be fooled by the bears' size and slow moping walk," police posted. "These animals are very agile and can run in excess of 30 MPH. You WILL NOT out run a bear!!!! A bear can scale a tree in a matter of seconds. You WILL NOT out climb a bear!!!!"
They're also warning pet owners to look for bears before letting their animals outside.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
