The City of Newcastle is warning pet owners and others who spend time outside to be careful.
They say a young black bear was spotted Friday morning along 129th Avenue Southeast near the cemetery.
“While this may be surprising, it’s not unusual,” a post online from the city states. “Black bear activity increases across Washington during this time of year, and Newcastle is no exception.”
Black bears are commonly sighted in various parts of the city.
They typically avoid people and are not aggressive by nature. However, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says it’s important to stay aware and take precautions:
Don’t feed bears
WDFW says over 90% of human-bear conflicts are because some bears are conditioned to associate food with humans.
Manage your garbage
If you have a pickup service, avoid putting it out the night before. Instead, WDFW suggests putting out bins shortly before the truck arrives.
Protect your pets
If you’re visiting Lake Boren Park or nearby trails, keep your dogs leashed. If an unleashed pet spooks a bear, it could attack.
What do I do if I encounter a black bear?
Remain calm. If the bear doesn’t seem to notice you, quietly move away when it’s not looking in your direction.
If a bear walks toward you, stand up and wave your hands above your head, clap, and make noise. Getting big and being loud will likely scare it off.
Do not run. WDFW says bears can run up to 35 miles per hour and running may trigger an attack.
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