Health and Safety News For The Princeton Community, May 2026

Beginning June 1, 2026, e‑bikes will be prohibited in the restricted zone, including use, storage, parking, and charging. This new policy expands the previous personal electric vehicle (PEV) ban that includes electric scooters, hoverboards, and electric and motorized skateboards. For more information, please consult the related FAQs.

The Princeton area is home to a variety of wildlife and encounters with wild species such as raccoons, foxes and deer are not uncommon. Some important considerations for staying safe when encountering wildlife include the following: 

• Maintain a safe distance. Never approach or attempt to feed a wild animal. Steer clear of any wild animal in your path.
• Report a sick or distressed animal. Do not attempt to help an animal that is trapped, injured or appears ill. Immediately contact the DPS non-emergency llne at 609-258-1000.
• If you have been scratched or bitten by a wild animal, call DPS immediately at 911. Clean the wound with soap and water and seek medical attention. 
• Do not approach nests or young animals. Parents are likely near and may aggressively protect their young. 

To minimize wildlife encounters, be sure to pick up trash and avoid littering as discarded food is a primary draw for animals. 

Black bears are native to New Jersey and in recent years have been increasing their range beyond their primary habitat in the heavily forested highlands of the state. In the unlikely event you encounter a bear, follow the following tips: 

• Never feed or approach a bear.
• Remain calm if you encounter a bear. Avoid direct eye contact, which may be perceived by a bear as a challenge. Never run from a bear. Instead, slowly back away.
• To scare the bear away, make loud noises by yelling, banging pots and pans or using an airhorn. Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms. If you are with someone else, stand close together with your arms raised above your head.
• If the bear does not leave, move to a secure area.
• Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP's 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).
• More information on black bears in New Jersey is available at the state’s Know the Bear Facts web page. 

Bats are seasonally active in Princeton and especially prevalent in the late summer and early fall.

If you find a bat in a University building or awaken to find a bat in your room, avoid direct contact and call Public Safety at 609-258-1000. Do not try to capture or kill the bat. Do not release a bat found in a building until it has been confirmed through Public Safety that no exposure has occurred.

Lean more on the Princeton Emergency Management Animal Bites and Scratches web page.

If you are a department administrator looking to arrange for special laboratory training sessions for incoming graduate students this summer, or faculty planning special sessions for undergraduates taking courses with a lab component in the fall, please let EHS know NOW!

EHS will work with you to arrange dates and times for these in person sessions and help determine the extent of training necessary for each group. Email us at: ehs@princeton.edu or call 609-258-5294. 

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