By Kathie O. Warco

Staff writer

kwarco@observer-reporter.com

Residents of western Washington County should not be too surprised if they look out their window and see a black bear loping through their yards.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Donegal Township police have received several reports of a bear in the area over the last week.

Wildlife Conservation Officer Rich Joyce said a bear has been seen in the Claysville area and on Route 331 near the Keystone Coonhunter Club.

"It has not caused any problems," Joyce said. "It is probably a young black bear, like a teenage boy, who has been kicked out by his mother after she had more cubs."

Joyce said residents in the area may want to take down bird feeders and keep garbage inside.

"If his cycle is broken, chances are that he will move on in 10 to 15 days," Joyce said. "But he is not going to pass up a free meal."

Donegal police Chief Ethan Ward said that a man driving on Old National Road in West Alexander told him that the bear ran in front of him.

"We've received no complaints of the bear getting into any trouble," Ward said. "Bear sightings are becoming less and less unusual. I think this is about the fifth in the last few years."

And it certainly would not be the most peculiar wild animal encountered by Ward.

"About a year ago, I had a mountain lion run out in front of me and go into the woods," Ward said. "I tried to catch it on video with the camera on the police car."

The animal had a tail that was four or five feet long with a dark tip.

"A few farmers had seen it, too, out in West Alexander," Ward said. "We may be seeing more because some of the animals are losing their habitat. I think the mining activity has them moving around more. Plus there are more people on the roads and more chances the wildlife will get seen."

For more information about bears, check the game commission Web site at www.pgc.state.pa.us.

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