SouthCoast Bear Tracker 2023

As black bears have been spotted on the SouthCoast this year, we've got all the "bear" essentials for keeping track of them.

As the Massachusetts bear population increases and shifts, we should expect to see more bears in our area.

Keep up to date with the latest sightings here with our interactive map, but bear with us if we fall a bit behind with so many bear interactions happening on the SouthCoast.

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SouthCoast Bear Sightings in April 2023

• Baby bears were reported in Mansfield in the area of the Community Gardens on April 30.

SouthCoast Bear Sightings in May 2023

• A bear was spotted in the 1100-block of West Street in Mansfield on May 16.
• A bear was captured on camera on Danforth Street in Taunton, near the grounds of Taunton State Hospital, on May 18.
• Bear sightings were reported in Assonet on May 20.
• A bear was captured on camera roaming through yards on the 5000 block of North Main Street in Fall River on May 21.
• A Ring camera caught a bear climbing onto a porch of a home on Collins Corner Road in Dartmouth on May 22.
• A man out for a walk caught a bear on video in the area of Mount Pleasant Street and Lang Street in New Bedford on the evening of May 22.
• A bear had police asking people to avoid to the area of Acushnet Avenue and Ashley Boulevard by Pa Raffa’s in New Bedford on May 23.
• The bear then took a three-hour nap in a tree in Acushnet.
• A Marion encounter with tranquilizer-wielding police might have caused the bear to high-tail it to Plymouth.
• Paula Morris sent in this video of a black bear that visited her Quelle Lane home. "First time was in my backyard at 4 p.m., and then he came back to the front of the house around 6:40 p.m.," she said.
• Apparently the bear decided to remain in Marion, because the next day he took a dip in Sippican Harbor.

SouthCoast Bear Sightings in June 2023

• A bear crashed a bridal shower in a Carver backyard on June 10.

Are They All the Same Bear?

A bear expert from MassWildlife joined us to discuss whether or not all the bear sightings are indeed the same bear.

Had a SouthCoast Bear Sighting? Share It With Us!

If you've had a bear sighting on the SouthCoast, visit our Bear Reporting Page to tell us about it, and to share photos or video, and we'll add it to our Bear Sighting Tracker.