BRIDGTON (AP) – The local elementary school canceled outdoor recess and residents are being urged to bring in their bird feeders after reports of bears being on the prowl.

Jack Knight, the animal control officer for Bridgton and surrounding towns, said he has received 21 calls about bears since April 12. He thinks there are at least two bears prowling the area for meals, whether it be trash left outside or stocked bird feeders.

Knight said there are plenty of bears but not much food in the wild for them this time of year. He urged residents to steer clear if they see a bear.

“They’re really raising hell in this area,” Knight said. “We have this bear that has ripped trim off peoples’ trailers because there’s bird feeders on their window sills. One person had a bag of bird seed in the back of the car and this one big bear tried to get the car open.”

A bear on Thursday made its way up Main Street and behind Stevens Brook Elementary School, prompting the principal to hold recess inside and cancel afternoon baseball.

Principal Beverly Chalmers said she got a call from the police department telling her that if she saw a red pickup driving around school it was just the animal control officer.

“I asked why, and they said he was looking for a bear sighted on Main Street,” she said.

The school, with 345 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, was scheduled to have recess in 45 minutes. Chalmers canceled recess but didn’t tell students why.

She never did see the bear but was told the bear was unlikely to return if the trash bin was moved and trash disposed of daily until June when berries come out.

In another incident, three people from Massachusetts were camping along the Saco River and decided to cook bacon late at night one day last week. Within minutes, a bear had arrived, tipping over the pan of bacon, eating everything in the campers’ cooler and driving the campers inside their tent.

“It scared the daylights out of them,” Knight said. “They ran up to Route 302 and called for help.”

AP-ES-05-08-04 1235EDT