2 children attacked by bear in Luzerne County

WRIGHT TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) -- A bear attack on two children in northeastern Pennsylvania is under investigation by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. 

Officials said the 5-year-old and 14-month-old had non-life-threatening injuries and were treated for bites and scratches at the hospital. 

The children were playing in the driveway of their home in Wright Township, Luzerne County on Monday, but the Game Commission said there are few details about what happened and what may have provoked the attack. 

The Game Commission said it's likely the attack was triggered, but if the bear is caught in traps set in the area and is identified through DNA testing, it'll be euthanized.

People are advised to keep their distance from bears. If you find one, let it know you're there by yelling or waving at it. 

"Bears sometimes stand their ground, and might employ more aggressive measures, like popping their jaws or bluffing a charge at a person, stopping short. But even in these types of cases, a bear usually will give a person the chance to back out of an encounter," The Game Commission said.  

Bears are naturally afraid of people but can lose some of that fear when they live close to people, especially if they're fed, the Game Commission said. It's illegal to intentionally feed bears in Pennsylvania. 

Bears can still be drawn to properties where they can find easy meals, and people who live in an area where bears have been a problem should consider removing potential food sources like trash cans and bird feeders. 

The Game Commission said about 15,000 bears live in Pennsylvania.