Keep An Eye Out for Bears This Time of Year, Young Boy Attacked in Westchester

Black Bear.

Westchester - It's approaching hibernation time when bears bulk up their weight anticipating a long sleep, so they are in hunting alertness mode, not the cuddly animal friends you sometimes see in movies. It is best at this time of year to keep small children near the home and supervised, just in case. It's best for the bears as well, so they don't end up like the one in New Castle yesterday who was euthanized.

A bear attacked a seven-year-old boy on the family’s property in North Castle late Tuesday morning. Several emergency medical services responded to the scene at 75 Hickory Kingdom Road to treat the child whose condition, police said, did not indicate the injuries were life threatening.

The bear continued to present a danger to first responders in the rear yard where the attack had occurred. It did not retreat

State Environmental Conservation officers were called in, euthanized the animal and transported it to the Westchester County Department of Health for testing.

Assisting at the scene with North Castle Police were the Banksville and Armonk Fire Departments, Westchester EMS paramedics, and animal control.

According to the US Forest Service, black bears “usually retreat before people are aware of them” and attacks are rare.

The organization recommends that if people spot a black bear, they remain calm and start backing away slowly while facing the animal. It said making a lot of noise like yelling or whistling may also help scare the bear away.

Source: Mid-Hudson News