Bear Spotted In Hatboro, Captured By PA Game Commission

HATBORO, PA —At times Wednesday, the excitement was well...unbearable.

Borough officials received numerous reports of a black bear sighting in the area of Mill Road on Wednesday evening. The bear was last seen heading north towards the Hatboro Cemetery.

Officials had urged residents to stay indoors and not approach the bear whatsoever. They were also told the contact 911 immediately if they see the bear.

The Hatboro Police Department was also monitoring the area closely and the Game Commission has been notified.

While everyone was trying to grin and bear the situation, hours later the excitement had ended.

Borough officials said the bear was captured by the PA Game Commission with assistance from the Hatboro and Upper Moreland police departments.

The bear was seen in the early morning hours Wednesday near Farmstead Park in Upper Moreland Township, along the area of 2688 Byberry Road.

Police gathered surveillance footage of the bear and were able to track its progress. They said that tips from the public were crucial.

"With your help, we were able to visually confirm that there was, in fact, a bear, and its direction of travel," Upper Moreland police said in a statement. "The Pennsylvania Game Commission was given all of your tips, photos, and video."

Related: Black Bear Spotted Near Montco Park

Game Commission officials captured the bear at about 11 p.m.

The future of the bear is not yet clear. Sometimes bears known to wander into residential areas are euthanized, other times they are relocated.

The capture comes just a day after a black bear was spotted some 15 miles away in Upper Makefield Township in Bucks County.

Black bears are native to all of Pennsylvania, but sightings are typically rare in the densely populated suburban Philadelphia region.

As development spreads into other parts of the state and resources dwindle, it becomes increasingly likely that they will wander outside of their typical habitats, wildlife experts say.

Further, bears can become reliant on trash as a food source in suburban areas, creating "problem behavior" over time.

Patch Staff Writer Justin Heinze contributed to this story.