Coventry police search for large black bear spotted in neighborhood

COVENTRY, R.I. (WLNE) — Police were searching for a large black bear in a quiet, densely packed Coventry neighborhood on Monday evening, according to Coventry police. 

The confirmed bear sighting was on Wisteria Drive in Wood Estates.  

“It’s unusual and there’s a lot of people and a lot of kids around here. So, it was good they were out here doing their job,” neighbor Robert Allard said.   

According to a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the male bear was estimated to be about 500 pounds. 

Residents are advised to not feed bears, avoid feeding pets outside, store garbage inside until pickup day, don’t put meat and sweets in your compost pile, and keep livestock behind a fence.