BARNSTABLE, Mass.—Bears are almost unheard of on Cape Cod, but one young black bear has been causing quite a stir in the vacation hotspot.

Police in Barnstable received multiple reports of the bear over the holiday weekend and confirmed its presence with the help of a family who brought in a photo.

State wildlife officials say bears are rare in southeastern Massachusetts, but even rarer on the Cape because it is cut off from the mainland by the Cape Cod Canal.

Jason Zimmer, southeast district supervisor with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, tells the Cape Cod Times ( http://bit.ly/JSmEiJ) it's likely the bear swam across the canal.

Authorities say it is probably the same young male that has also been spotted recently in Middleborough and Plymouth.

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Information from: Cape Cod Times, http://www.capecodonline.com

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