A bear was seen taking a stroll near a Hudson Valley church.

In an email sent to Hudson Valley Post, Nicole Egan says the bear, seen in the photo above, was spotted last week in the parking lot of her church in Hopewell Junction.

"It was at St Denis Church on Beekman Rd in Hopewell Jct, around 1 p.m. I was parked, waiting for my son, and the bear just walked right by, through the parking lot," Egan said.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently warned about bears coming out of hibernation in search of food.

Hudson Valley Post has reported on a number of bear sightings over the past few weeks. One ran through the backyard of a Hudson Valley home while a woman was grilling dinner; multiple bears were spotted in a Dutchess County woman's backyard; another bear was filmed running across yards in Beacon; while another was spotted near a playground in Ulster County; and a cub forced roads to be closed during rush hour in Poughkeepsie.

"Black bears have recently been reported in a number of suburban locations," New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "DEC is urging homeowners and property managers to follow the simple steps and guidance to keep bears from taking up residence in an area, including storing garbage in secure buildings, removing bird feeders, and feeding pets indoors. Preventing access to food sources is key to preventing nuisance bears."

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