Black bear spotted near entrance to Westmoreland County Mall captured, released

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — A black bear first spotted by a truck driver near an entrance to the Westmoreland County Mall was captured and later released by the Pennsylvania State Game Commission.

The 185-pound, 2-year-old bear was found about 15-feet high in a tree when the truck driver encountered it while driving to drop off a delivery.

"He basically came in contact with the bear, not physically, but saw the bear, and the bear was likely frightened and that's why the bear went in the tree," Dawn Gnieski of business development said.

State game commission officers tranquilized, tagged and trapped the bear. It was taken to state game lands near Ligonier to be released.

"We lowered it down with a strap. It didn't go as smooth as possible, but we lowered it down without any injury," Wildlife Conservation Officer Matthew Lucas said.

Lucas said it is still too early for bears to be in hibernation.

"This time of year bears are out feeding trying to get as fat as they can for the winter months. For a male, it's not typical to be in hibernation at this point," Lucas said.

Cox Media Group