Police in Avon, Mass., said a reported bear sighting in the city was most likely a case of mistaken identity involving a raccoon. Photo by Huskyherz/Pixabay.com
Feb. 27 (UPI) — A Massachusetts police department said a reported bear sighting in the city was most likely something else entirely: a raccoon.
Avon Police Deputy Chief Chris Bartolotta said the department received a report of a bear sighting in the city on Saturday, but animal control officers were unable to confirm the report.
Officers patrolling in the same area on Monday encountered another resident who offered an explanation for the sighting.
“Another individual in the area said, ‘That wasn’t a bear, it was a raccoon,'” Bartolotta told The Enterprise newspaper. “The person posted something on Facebook of footprints and allegedly they were too small to be a bear.”
Bartolotta said the mistaken identity is understandable, considering the sighting occurred after dark and bears have been spotted in Avon in the past.
The Avon Police Department reminded residents on Facebook that while there might not have been a bear in town during the weekend, there remains a possibility of the animals visiting local neighborhoods in the near future.
“There’s been an uptick in the number of bear sightings, both locally and in our part of state,” the post said. “While not totally unique to our area, black bears have been increasing in numbers and distribution since the 1970s. The statewide population of bears is estimated to be over 4,500 animals and is growing and expanding eastward.”
