Drought Has Bears Foraging in Suburbs of Northeast

Drought is forcing so many black bears to rummage for food in the suburbs of New York and Philadelphia that Pennsylvania on Thursday issued a public advisory on how suburbanites can cope with the large but timid creatures.

State officials said nearly 2,400 bear sightings have been reported so far this year in eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey, particularly in upscale residential areas near the Delaware Water Gap, about 60 miles west of Manhattan.

In New Jersey, sightings have nearly doubled from last year, mainly because of an exploding bear population of about 10,000 in the two states.

Famished bears broke through kitchen screen doors at two homes around Stillwater, N.J., and one actually raided the refrigerator for a meal of eggs and butter.

Unusual sightings also have been reported in Maryland, where police spotted a bear only 10 miles from downtown Baltimore.

The advisory issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission suggested that people make sure not to leave garbage, table scraps or pet food outside overnight.

“If a bear shows up in your backyard, stay calm. Shout at it like you would to chase an unwanted dog,” the advisory said. If that fails, it suggested calling the game commission or the police.