Video: This Black Bear Just Can’t Bear The Heat

In North Caldwell, it seems this week’s heat wave was just too much for a black bear to bear so he took a dip in a backyard pool.

Dana Strus said she did a double take when she looked out her window. “Nobody’s going to believe me." So she grabbed her camera and went outside to take photos and a few short videos before calling police.

The bear, estimated to weigh about 100 pounds, hopped back over the fence before the police arrived.

 “There’s not really much we could do about it. It’s not doing anything dangerous,” said North Caldwell Police Chief Mark Deuer.

There have been more than 808 bear sightings reported so far in 2011, according to the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Those include the bear spotted at in Livingston and further down, and a bear captured in a in Short Hills.

In North Caldwell, things were pretty much back to normal Wednesday. Chief Deuer said no other sightings were reported and Strus told Patch she went swimming in her pool.

It's not the first wildlife she's seen. Strus said she is used to seeing deer, turkey and even a fox, although this was the first time she saw a bear.

“It’s crazy,” she joked. “Now I don’t have to go to the Turtle Back Zoo.”