At about 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, an unidentified person reported sighting a black bear in the parking lot of Public Safety. Officers responded and located the animal near the Physical Plant Compost site. The officers monitored the bear until it left the campus westerly toward route 96B.
Although Tompkins County is not heavily populated by black bears, it is not unusual for them to be spotted in different areas of the county during migration. Black bears are large and powerful animals, but are not normally aggressive towards humans. The Office of Public Safety reminds community members to never approach, attempt to touch or confront wildlife. Do not try to startle, alarm, or harass any wildlife seen on the campus.
In the event a bear is spotted on the campus, community members are asked to call the Office of Public Safety for assistance at 274-3333 (4-3333) or by using a blue light emergency phone.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20051013114408904