GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A bear sighting in a neighborhood near Hudsonville Friday morning prompted nearby schools to keep students indoors.
Joel Matzke, who moved into his home a few months ago, captured the bear on his newly installed security cameras. The video shows the animal running through his backyard and into the front yard near Bauer Elementary and Georgetown Elementary.
WATCH: Surveillance video captures bear roaming neighborhood
"Just put up new cameras, and this morning, woke up and I had a notification… I looked and I was like, Oh my gosh, that's a bear," Matzke said.
"Initially, I was like, is it a dog?... but then the way it was running… I was like, that doesn't quite look like a dog… and I was like, oh… it's a bear," Matzke said.
According to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, video shows the bear roaming the neighborhoods near Schoolside Drive and Hidden Lake Drive between 6:30 a.m. and 7:10 a.m. on Friday.
The Hudsonville Public Schools superintendent sent a letter to families Friday morning regarding the sighting. It said the district worked with law enforcement and the DNR, keeping students inside while the school day otherwise went on as normal.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we have asked that all students at your child's school(s) remain inside the buildings at this time. All school operations continue as normal and students are safe," the letter reads in part.
Matzke noted the number of children living in the area.
"There's a lot of kids… especially in this cul-de-sac… so it's a little bit worrying… that if there is a bear, something could happen," Matzke said.
I reached out to the Michigan DNR, and officers did not locate the bear. They said sightings like this are not as unusual as people might think.
The DNR urges neighbors to take down bird feeders, clean grills, and keep trash and pet food out of reach. They said bears are usually not very aggressive and are just passing through trying to find their own habitat.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
