Two Black Bears Kill Chicken, Destroy Chicken Coop In Bell Acres Borough

BELL ACRES BOROUGH (KDKA) -- Police in Bell Acres Borough are alerting the public that two black bears were spotted in the area on Tuesday night.

Police say the bears tipped over a chicken coop and killed one chicken.

"These cubs are going around looking for something to eat," said Zeb Campbell, game warden for Allegheny County, said earlier this month of a bear spotted in several locations in the city.

Gregory Mulchen says he heard a big commotion and ran outside, where he saw a bear 20 feet from his home.

"He wouldn't move, just kept standing around. Kept banging plates and pots and pans and finally, he went over there by the woods a bit. Then we saw a second one and about an hour later," he said.

Mulchen said he's heard of bears in the area, but this was his first encounter with one.

"We were scared, didn't know what to expect, didn't know what was growling at us at first. We thought it was a buck snorting. But as soon as you saw the eyes and heard deeper growls, you knew something was different," Mulchen said.

He said the bears flipped the coop and ripped it open. They tried to save all five chickens but only made it away with four. Arrangments are being made for the chickens to be taken elsewhere.

Mulchen said the Game Commission is going to set traps.

Police say the Bell Acres bears were last seen on Highview Drive.

Police are telling residents to remove sources of food such as bird feeders and take precautions if they have small animals or chickens. People are also being warned not to feed bears under any circumstance.

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• Black Bear