Friends of the Wissahickon publicist Erin Mooney talked to Jerry Czech, a Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife conservation officer, about last month’s bear cub sighting in the Wissahickon. Her report was first posted on the Friends’ blog at fow.org. 

Q: A black bear was seen in the Wissahickon during the morning of Friday, May 13, when it crossed the Wissahickon Creek near Devil’s Pool. The day before, on May 12, there was a bear sighting in Upper Dublin Township. Then, on May 15, there were reports of a black bear 12 miles from the Wissahickon in Tredyffrin Township, Chester County. And on May 18, there was a report of a black bear in New Castle, DE. Is it possible that this is the same bear in all of these locations?

A: If it wasn’t the same bear, it would be a freak coincidence. The Upper Dublin bear probably headed to Springfield Township in Montgomery County, where there was a bear sighting before the sighting in the Wissahickon. After the Wissahickon, I would venture to guess the bear might have walked to Conshohocken and made its way south. The next day, there was a bear sighting in Chadds Ford, which is close to Tredyffrin.

Q: What do you know about bear behavior that may explain why the bear was on the move?

A: The bear was probably a young male born two years ago — a very big cub. Basically, his mom sent him out on his own and told him to find his own home. With so many wildlife trails and wildlife corridors in the area, the bear leaves home and starts walking, and all of a sudden, it’s in the Wissahickon and has a whole park to explore. May is always a typical nuisance month for bears for us. The bears wake up from hibernation in March and by May, they are out looking around. 

Q: When was the last time there were reports of a bear in Philadelphia?

A: I’ve been here for 17 years and this is the second bear I’ve seen in Philadephia. In 2013, we had one come down through Abington, through Pennypack Park to below the Pennypack Environmental Center. It was in town for two or three days. We brought a trap to the place where it was hanging out and we set the trap with Dunkin’ Donuts. They are excellent bait for the bear. I had to go into the Dunkin’ Donuts and ask for a couple dozen stale donuts — I went back and brought in the bear trap to show them that I wasn’t just trying to get free donuts! We trapped the bear and transported it to a location above Allentown. Usually we take bears around here to Schuylkill, Berks, Northampton or Lehigh counties.

Q: What should you do if you see a bear?

A: There are 20,000 bears in Pennsylvania. They encounter people every day. Just make yourself look bigger and make noise. The worst thing you can do is go up a tree — bears can climb a tree faster than a monkey. Usually what happens is a mother hears a human and makes a noise to tell her cubs to go up a tree. Walk the other way and never get between a mom and her cubs. Call 911 or the Game Commission at 610-926-3136.

FOW Work Day

Saturday, June 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Meet at the Orange Trail trailhead at the Valley Green Bridge. This will be our first official cleanup of 2016 at Devil’s Pool, so there will be lots to do!

For info or to RSVP, contact FOW volunteer coordinator John Holback at holback@fow.org or 215-247-0417, ext.107.