Bear travels from Delaware County to Delaware

Trish Hartman Image
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Bear travels from Delco to Delaware
Bear travels from Delco to Delaware. Trish Hartman has more on Action News at 5 p.m. on December 4, 2019.

NEW CASTLE, Delaware (WPVI) -- Wildlife officials in Pennsylvania and Delaware are working together to monitor a black bear that has been spotted about a dozen times over the past six days.

Delaware authorities say the bear was spotted in several places early Wednesday morning north of Wilmington.

A photo released by New Castle County police shows the bear walking through Darley Green apartments off of Philadelphia Pike in Claymont, Delaware.

It was also spotted around I-95 near the I-495 split, and briefly on the grounds of Salesianum School before running back into the woods.

The bear has been caught on several surveillance cameras over the past week as it traveled through Delaware County, starting in Radnor and making its way down to Clifton Heights and Aston Monday night.

Now agencies in Pennsylvania and Delaware are working together to find out where it'll go next.

"I spoke with one of the game wardens and he showed me how to use a bear trap and what to do if it stays in one area," said Sgt. Chelsea Chillas with Delaware Natural Resources Police.

Warden Jerry Czech from the Pennsylvania Game Commission showed Action News the trap, too, in Ridley Creek State Park.

"At this point, we're just standing by to help Delaware if they need help with our trap and tranquilizer drugs," said Czech.

Officials hope they won't need those measures if the bear goes back into the woods to hibernate on its own. And if another visitor comes? They're ready.

"The more we build, the more we build stores and housing developments these animals have less and less space. And they're becoming our neighbors now," said Czech.

If you see the bear, officials say don't be alarmed. Stay back and call 911.

If authorities do need to trap and/or tranquilize the bear, they will likely relocate it to central or northeastern Pennsylvania.