The juvenile black bear spotted near Haggetts Pond in Andover last week now has a name and a reminder from Andover Animal Control that a “fed bear is a dead bear.”
“At this point, many of you have likely seen photos of the bear romping around the Andover/Tewksbury/Lowell area. He has been lovingly nicknamed ‘Sunshine’ by one of our Lieutenant’s children,” Animal Control said in social media posts over the weekend. “Please, please do not leave food out for the bear – bears have been around for a lot longer than we have and have been able to successfully find food on their own during this time. To avoid inadvertently feeding Sunshine, it is important to remove any bird feeders from your yard as well as bird baths and secure garbage cans as best as you can (bring inside the garage or basement) until Sunshine moves along.”
Animal Control said it has received “many, many phone calls” about Sunshine but said in most cases, there is no need for residents to report sightings of Sunshine.