Wandering bear spotted twice in Danvers Wednesday morning

A wandering bear was spotted twice in the same area in Danvers Wednesday morning, according to the Danvers Police Department.

At 8:31 a.m., police were notified of a bear sighting in the Kirkbride Drive and Maple Street area and then received a second call from the same area 20 minutes later, according to Danvers Police Officer Jason Skane.

Danvers Police and the Massachusetts Environmental Police responded to the scene to see if they could locate the bear, Skane said.

The area where the bear was spotted contains the Bradlee Danvers apartment complex, which was built on the site of the former Danvers State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital that closed in 1992, Skane said.

“It’s surrounded by woods and an open field,” Skane said.

Wednesday’s bear sightings come after an array of other sightings in Danvers and West Peabody, as well as Wilmington, Tewksbury, and Lowell this summer.

In an Aug. 5 statement, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife explained that the drought could be a reason for the increased bear sightings in residential areas.

“Bears rely on summer berries, which can be diminished with extended drought,” the statement said. “As a result, bears search for other types of food causing them to visit residential areas more often than in a normal year.”

The Danvers Police Department tweeted a statement reminding residents to secure any sources of food, such as bird feeders, pet food, and trash. Residents are also advised to supervise children and pets.