NJ Fish and Wildlife: Union Beach Bear was behaving normally
O’Scanlon: Bears Hanging out in Monmouth County on Memorial Day Weekend is not “normal behavior”
Male bear killed in Union Beach on Saturday night. photo by Councilman Charlie Cocuzza
In response to our report this morning that NJ DEP’s Fish and Wildlife Division told Union Beach Police officials that “We don’t come out on weekends” and “that is not our protocol,” when the UBPD asked for their assistance in tranquilizing and relocating the bear that was shot and killed last night, DEP spokesman Bob Considine said, “the notion that F&W biologist don’t work weekends is ridiculous and offensive.”
Considine said that had the Union Beach situation been Category 1, i.e., the bear was a threat to public safety or property, that Fish and Wildlife biologists would have been on the scene. He said that the situation in Union Beach last night was a Category 3…a bear exhibiting normal behavior and not a nuisance or threat to public safety.
Considine said that F&W advised UBPD that they would not be disposing of the carcass over the weekend. The bear’s body is now stored in a locked dumpster on Union Beach Borough property. “Perhaps something got lost in translation,” he said.
Posted: May 28th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County, Monmouth County News | Tags: Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon, Declan O'Scanlon, Middletown Bear, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ DEP, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Union Beach Bear, Union Beach Bear Shot and Killed | 14 Comments »