Whatever happened to the bear?

After numerous sightings throughout Rochester, Marion and Mattapoisett the bear seems to have fallen off most people's radar.

Officials believe that after the juvenile male left Rochester it is believed to have moved on to Middleborough.

Reggie Zimmerman, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said the last bear sighting in the area was Friday morning at 5 am in Middleborough.

“It doesn’t appear to be staying in one place for very long,” Laura Hajduk, Black Bear Project Leader at the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.  “Typically it could find a river or railroad corridor and just follow that, there are plenty of those leading into this region that it could be using to move around.”

Anyone witnessing the bear should exercise caution and report the sighting to authorities.  The bear, however, has not exhibited any aggressive tendencies.

“Leave the bear alone,” said Hajduk, cautioning people to not approach or harass the bear if they see it.  “Enjoy the fact that you got the opportunity to witness a black bear, something very few people get to see.”