Bears Beat the Heat by Taking Over a New Jersey Family's Backyard Pool

The Basso family of Rockaway Township, New Jersey, had plans for their swimming pool on a blistering summer morning. The bears had other ideas.

When the family looked out at their backyard, they found a group of black bears already in the water, lounging and splashing as though the pool had been built for them. Black bears are a familiar presence in northern New Jersey, but seeing a whole family of them treating a residential pool like a private spa is far from everyday. The Bassos reportedly watched in amazement as the animals paddled around and cooled off.

The behavior makes sense. Black bears wear thick, dark coats year round and have no way to shed them when temperatures climb. In hot weather they look for shade, streams, ponds and any other water they can find. A backyard pool, especially in a neighborhood that borders wooded areas, can look like an ideal swimming hole.

New Jersey has one of the densest black bear populations in the country, and encounters with people have become more common as housing spreads into bear habitat. Wildlife officials generally say that most bears are not aggressive and want to avoid humans. Still, a bear that feels cornered, or a mother protecting cubs, can be dangerous. That is why the standard advice is to enjoy these moments from a safe distance, usually from indoors.

If bears turn up in your yard, experts recommend staying inside, keeping children and pets away from windows and doors, and never trying to approach, feed or chase the animals. Dogs deserve special attention. A barking dog can provoke a bear, and a dog let outside during a visit can quickly end up in a risky confrontation. Keep pets leashed or indoors until the bears have left on their own.

Prevention matters too. Bears are drawn to easy food, so securing trash cans, removing bird feeders in warmer months, cleaning grills and keeping pet food indoors all reduce the odds of a repeat visit. Fencing around a pool can also help, though a determined bear may still find a way in. Making noise from a safe spot, such as calling out from a porch or door, can often encourage a bear to move along.

If a bear does not leave, or seems unusually bold or unwell, homeowners should contact local wildlife authorities rather than handle the situation themselves. Officials can assess whether a bear is a nuisance or a real danger.

In this case, the Bassos got a story to tell and the bears got a break from the heat. Once the animals climbed out and wandered off, the family was left with a pool that, for a while at least, had been taken by much bigger swimmers.