Black bear kills, eats goat in Chester Twp.

CHESTER TWP. - A bear that attacked and ate a goat in a resident's backyard will be killed if authorities catch up with him.

Police were contacted at 7:08 a.m. Tuesday about  an aggressive black bear with a goat near Cliffwood Road, Lt. Edward Noonan said.

Police found that the bear entered the property through a portion of electric fence that was not functioning, Noonan said.

Officers arrived in time to see the goat being eaten by the bear, according to Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the  state Department of Environmental Protection.

The goat was in a pen in the rear of the residence at the time of the attack, Hajna said. Police attempted to get a clear shot at the bear but could not maneuver in time to do so, he added.

The bear fled into the woods of nearby Tiger Brook Park, at which point police lost sight of it, Noonan said. Police checked the surrounding area but did not locate the bruin.

The officers then contacted the DEP, which sent members of the Fish and Wildlife division to the scene. The investigation then was turned over to Fish and Wildlife, Noonan said.

The bear had not been found as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.

An attack on livestock is enough to warrant a Category I response from DEP, determining the bear was a threat to public safety and property.

The category is the highest of three and means the bear will be euthanized if caught, Hajna said.

The township advised anyone who sees the bear to call 911.

Police did not respond for more information Tuesday afternoon.

This was the fourth goat killed this month in the township. Three others  died in a barn fire on Nov. 1, along with 19 chickens.

For more information on New Jersey’s black bear management policy, including a detailed breakdown of the response criteria, go to www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearpolicy15.htm.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com