Plymouth Bear Actually Was Struck By Car, MassWildlife Says

PLYMOUTH (WBSM) — It turns out a black bear actually was involved in a collision with a car in Plymouth on Wednesday. MassWildlife confirmed the collision a day after saying it didn’t appear that was the case.

Marshfield radio station WATD reported on the morning of July 5 that Massachusetts State Police told the station’s news department that a driver said they struck a bear near Clark Road in Plymouth at about 7:15 a.m.

According to the report, the driver was not injured, and the bear went into the median but could not be located when police arrived at the scene.

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Originally, MassWildlife said it didn’t appear the bear was actually struck, after the district manager went to the scene and saw the bear walking around without issue and showing “zero signs of injury.”

On Thursday, however, MassWildlife informed WBSM that it appears the bear was involved in a vehicle collision after all.

“We were basing our response on what our staff had seen in the field and conversations with the Environmental Police and State Police,” said Dave Wattles, Black Bear & Furbearer Biologist for MassWildlife.

“From a new report today, the bear actually ran into the side of a car,” Wattles said. “It reportedly lay there stunned for a minute and then moved off, which matches what we saw later when the bear was up and moving.”

Wattles said there was very little damage to the vehicle, outside of a couple of small dents in both doors on one side.

“Fortunately it ran into the side rather than being struck by the vehicle. Based on that and the bear’s movements later, we believe the bear will be fine,” Wattles said.

It could have been much worse. Back in 2021, the black bear that had come to be known as “Boo Boo” died after being struck by a van on Interstate 195 in Marion.