Leave roaming bear alone, officials advise, 'don't try to take a selfie with it'

The young black bear spotted Tuesday in Penn Hills along Frankstown Road likely is the same one spotted later that evening in Turtle Creek and Monroeville, according to social media reports and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

It is hoped the young bear, which is looking for safe territory, will find a river corridor that will take it to a more wooded area, according to Dan Puhala, game warden with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

“Give the bear space, don’t try to take a selfie with it,” he advised.

The bear is believed to be about a year-and-a-half old and is showing up in unlikely urban settings because it was probably pushed out by his mother as she gets ready to breed, Puhala said.

There have been no reports of disturbances or damage, just sightings of the animal quickly moving along streets.

Puhala and other game wardens have been tracking the young bear that “seems scared and wants to run,” according to Puhala.

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The young bear likely came to the area via the Allegheny River corridor, which is just over the hill from Frankstown Road, according to Puhala.

There was a report Monday of a black bear in Plum, but Puhala didn’t know if it was the same bear.

The public should call 911 if a bear is in a structure or up a tree. Otherwise, it’s best to simply leave them alone and let them go on their way.

To learn more about black bears and how to deal with them, visit PGC’s website.