Animal Control Officer Ellen Sawyer has seen just about every kind of creature during her tenure in Wilmington. But one animal she’s never come across.

Two callers in the last week, however, think they might have seen what Sawyer hasn't – a bear.

In a police log entry last week, a resident on Garden Ave. reported a large animal that walked through the yard could have potentially been a bear.

On Tuesday, a different resident in town spotted a large animal near a tree in their yard. In addition, a Patch reader e-mailed to say that earlier this week he came across a freshly killed deer near Town Hall.

Sawyer said the deer could have been killed by a variety of animals, including a coyote, but she would not rule out the possibility of a bear in town even though she believes it’s unlikely.

“Everyone is building such much throughout New England that it’s killing their habitat,” said Sawyer. “They have to go somewhere.”

Sawyer said residents should be careful of any wildlife they come across, regardless of what kind of animal it is.

She also added that there have been many times when large dogs or other animals were mistaken for bears. Still, there remains a chance that there is a bear in town.

“It might be improbable,” said Sawyer, “but it’s not impossible.”