Wanted! Have You Seen a Bear Roaming Colonie? Police Want to Hear from You!
Encounters with black bear are becoming more and more commonplace around the Capital Region. In the early hours of Wednesday a black bear was captured on a porch camera roaming through the Pine Avenue area of Colonie, New York. Police are asking you to call them at (518) 783-2811 if you happen to spot him.
This is the latest of several Capital Region sightings this year. Remember the "Nisky Bear" that was hanging out in Niskayuna back in June? As exciting as this can be it can also be dangerous. Niskayuna Police and Colonie Police share similar policies when it comes to a bear in the backyard. Call the non-emergency number of your local police department.
Here are some suggestions of what to do should you have a bear encounter:
- Keep small children inside
- Keep pets inside
- Do not approach the bear
- Do not try to feed the bear
- In the rare case of an attack, call 911
Here are some other suggestions when encountering a bear, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation:
- Use noise to scare the bear
- Stay calm
- Make slow moves and speak in a loud but calm voice
- Back away with caution
- If the bear stand on it's hind legs it's trying to get a better view of the area around him. He is NOT preparing to attack.
- DO NOT run from the bear - They may chase you