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Black Bear Population Booming Here In Southern New York, Report Says

If you live in the Hudson Valley area, there could very well be a black bear somewhere close by as you read this.

Video of the bear sighting by Lily Miguel Cranston

Photo Credit: Daily Voice Northern Westchester/Video by Lily Miguel Cranston

Since the early 1990s, southern New York's black bear population has grown, which has led to increased encounters with humans, according to Cornell University researchers.

Research published by Cornell shows bear population expanding from traditional upstate locations to downstate New York.

“Black bears are encountering human populations more now than they ever have before,” said Catherine Sun, a doctoral student in the Department of Natural Resources and the paper’s lead author. 

On Tuesday, black bear was captured on video making the rounds in Cortlandt Manor in Northern Wetschester.

After Daily Voice published a video of the bear, readers in the area commented on subsequent sightings.

Anyone who may see the bear, should stay clear of the animal and refrain from approaching it to take photographs. 

Black bear populations are largely concentrated in upstate New York but there are smaller populations elsewhere, including the Hudson Valley, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation

While black bears are omnivores and largely consume grasses, berries, fruit and insects, they will also eat human food, including bird seed, honey, and corn.

For more on the Cornell study, click here.

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