Black bear spotted in Bucks County as sightings continue across region

PHILADELPHIA - Lower Makefield Police Department requested all residents shelter-in-place Sunday morning after a black bear was spotted roaming around a neighborhood.

“A bear is a bear, and we thought he was here for the BBQ, we would have welcomed him in, but he had other ideas” Nick Primola said. 

Witnesses say the black bear - described as 5 feet, possibly 150 pounds - hopped a fence while weaving through a neighborhood, before a tiny dog chased the bear away.

“I don’t know who the hero dog was, but the bear was looking to get into some backyard, and whoever dog that was he should have a cape and a medal,” Primola said. 

MORE: Two bear sightings reported in Delaware County

While Lower Makefield police guided the bear away from neighbors, a shelter in place order alerted Joshua Shea, who was cleaning out the garage.

“It’s a little funny to shelter in place for a black bear but it's still a bear at the end of the day," Shea said.

The shelter in place order was only effective for an hour and a half Sunday afternoon. Now, Game Commission will continue trying to trap the bear so it can be moved to another location.

Bear sightings have grown around the Philadelphia area recently. Folks in Delaware County reported seeing a black bear roaming within residential parts of Chads Ford and Upper Chichester last week.

Another black bear eluded police in Saturday night in West Goshen Township in Chester County. 

The suddenly dauntless Philadelphia-area bears haven't shied away from more populated areas either. A bear was seen in walking around a development in Mantua on Sunday morning.

It's unclear at this time what has suddenly sparked an explosion of bear sightings around our area.

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