Black Bear Loose in Massachusetts: What to Do if You Encounter It

Perhaps it was New Hampshire’s recent earthquake that caused a black bear to relocate to Massachusetts’ North Shore.

Just two days after it was seen in Danvers and Peabody, the bear was spotted again in the town of Middleton, leading to the obvious question, “How do you know it was the same black bear? Did you ask him (or her!)?”

If so, the bear’s taking its time finding a new home, as it was also seen this summer in Lowell, Billerica, Tewksbury, Woburn, and Wilmington, according to WHDH (though if there’s one thing we know, it’s that bears can be picky about the kind of house they live in).

What should you do if you encounter the North Shore Black Bear? With some help from the National Parks Service, here’s a list of Do’s and Don’ts for When You Encounter a Black Bear:

Do: Speak to the bear so it knows you are a person and not prey.
Don’t: Say, “Since when is it ‘Berenstain Bears’?? Am I crazy, or didn’t it used to be ‘Berenstein Bears’?

Do: Remain calm.
Don’t: Put on Enya (bears prefer Kenny G.)

Do: Pick up small children.
Don’t: Tell your friend, “Sorry I didn’t grab your daughter – I thought she was a bear.”

Do: Make yourself look as large as possible.
Don’t: Do it by eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Donut Love “just in case.”

Do: Be especially cautious if you see a female bear with her cubs.
Don’t: Take hush money from a male bear if you see him with his secretary.