Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area officials remind visitors about bear safety during busy summer season

DELAWARE WATER GAP NATIONAL RECREATION AREA — Officials at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area are reminding visitors to practice bear safety as warmer weather brings increased outdoor activity for both people and wildlife.

Park officials said bear sightings and encounters become more common during the spring and summer months as crowds visit the recreation area and bears search for food throughout the forest.

“Though tourist areas can get busy during the summer months, this park and other public lands are still wild places and should be treated as such,” park officials said in a public safety message.

Officials emphasized that visitor behavior plays a major role in preventing dangerous encounters with black bears.

According to the National Park Service, bear attacks in the region are rare but can occur, particularly when bears are protecting cubs, defending food sources or reacting to humans entering their space unexpectedly.

Park officials said many human-bear interactions happen because food is not properly secured or because people unknowingly get too close to wildlife.

Visitors are encouraged to travel in groups, stay on marked trails and make moderate noise while hiking to alert bears to their presence and avoid surprising them.

Officials also reminded visitors that feeding or approaching wildlife is illegal and can result in injury or death to both humans and animals.

“Interacting with any wildlife is unlawful and can end in injury or death for you or the animal,” park officials said. “Keep your distance and keep wildlife wild.”

Additional bear safety information is available through the National Park Service website.