A bear sighting near a school in Peekskill sparked some panic among residents. “It’s really a surprise to hear that a bear was in my neighborhood," says Johnny Koll, a Peekskill resident. The Peekskill City School District posted on Facebook to alert families of the bear sighting near Woodside Elementary School. The school district says the bear was moving away from the school, but police were notified and were monitoring the area. Scheduled early dismissal took place as normal.

Police pushed the bear into the Blue Mountain Reservation area, but some people who live in the area say it’s still nerve-wracking. "It's a little concern, because I do hike and I do run," says Doug Elickert, a Peekskill resident.

But some aren’t surprised. “A bear, it’s about to be expected," says resident Earl Hartley. As News 12 has reported, there have also been recent bear sightings in Harrison and Croton-on-Hudson. News 12 talked with a wildlife expert about why this is becoming more common around this time of the year. "The bears have depleted their fat from over-wintering and stuff. So, they're looking for fast food," says Jim Horton, CEO of QualityPro Pest & Wildlife Services.

Horton says the bears are looking for food in the garbage, grills, pet food and bird feeders. He suggests making sure those are all put away or covered.

He says people need to be careful for many reasons, including if a bear is spotted near a school.

"If you get a bear on a school ground or something and all of a sudden, the kids come running out to play, a startled bear is not a fun bear to deal with," says Horton.