Police spot black bear in Edgewood

This might be a first for Edgewood: a black bear sighting.

A police officer spotted a bear Tuesday night along Pennwood Avenue, Borough Manager Julie Bastianini told the Tribune-Review.

“The officer did see it,” she said. “It was making its way toward Swissvale.”

Police called the state Game Commission, and officials there said the bear would probably find its way back to the wilderness, Bastianini said.

She could not remember a bear being spotted in Edgewood before.

The sighting led to some chatter on the Nextdoor social media website. One person posted a note saying the bear also was spotted in Swissvale.

The Game Commission estimates there are about 18,000 black bears in Pennsylvania. More than 3,000 are killed by hunters annually.

“If you come across a bear on your property, there are two possible courses of action. The first is to make loud noises or shout at the bear from a distance — like you'd react to a dog getting into your trash. The second option is to leave the bear alone, and clean up the bear's mess after it leaves. Follow up by making sure you eliminate whatever attracted the bear in the first place. You may need to talk to your neighbors, as well,” the Game Commission wrote on its website .

Ben Schmitt is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7991, bschmitt@tribweb.com or via Twitter at @Bencschmitt.