Community Corner

Don't RUN Away From the Bear

PA Game Commission lists 'do's and don'ts' when there's a bear in the 'hood.

'Tis the season, says the Pennsylvania Game Commission, when bears wander. And sometimes they just wander into the wrong places. 

"It's mating season," said Game Commission Wildlife Officer Cassie Zliceski, and the black bear that has been roaming the streets in Middletown Township and Bensalem Township is the same 400-pound bear that last year was found in Central Bucks County. 

"It's tagged. We can tell it's the same bear. There aren't too many 400-pound bears in the area," she said. "It's a big bear."

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Zliceski offered some tips for making neighborhoods less bear-friendly, as well as some hints to follow if you come face-to-face with this big guy. 

Generally, bears are afraid of people unless they're being fed (read: eating your garbage.) Once a bear has access to food, it will stay in the area, she said.

Find out what's happening in Bensalemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

DO NOT

  • Run away from the bear. Bears like to chase things.
  • Climb a tree. Bears climb, too. 

DO

  • Make a noise and back slowly away from the bear. 
  • Keep garbage secure in a garage until just before pick-up.
  • Take down bird feeders. Bears will go after bird food, too.

Zliceski also said that the Game Commission on Saturday set a trap for the bear but that the commission does not reveal the location of the trap for obvious reasons. 

"We want to trap it and take it up north to be released," she said. 


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