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Bears Invade the City of Warren
by Buster Darr - Owner of WarrenPa.net
(Click on Photos to Enlarge)
 A mother bear and her cubs caused a little excitement on Central Avenue, on Tuesday, July 1, 2008. A resident told us that the bear and her cubs had climbed a tree along the street at about 5:30 am and remained there all day. We stopped with the rest of the crowd and snapped a few photos... actually, about 70 photos. Due to the distance, lighting, and obstructions, very few were usable. Other photos, taken by Marvin Darr, can be found in the Photo Gallery.
While the mother bear slept in the upper branches, the cubs remained much lower in the tree. We could occasionally catch glimpses, as they peeked out, when noises from the crowd and a nearby weedeater caught their attention.
While we could only visually confirm two cubs, several witnesses claim that this bear has a total of four cubs - a rarity for Black Bears, who typically give birth to a pair of cubs.
 Pennsylvania Game Commission WCO Dave Donachy and Warren City Police officers were on hand, to make sure the public gave the mother and cubs a little distance. Many spectators were in utter disbelief that bears were actually in the city. They firmly believed that bears are creatures of zoos and deep wilderness. WCO Donachy attributed the presence of this bear family to the numerous easy food sources in the area, such as bird feeders, gardens, and garbage cans. Bears love bird seed and will gorge themselves. Vegetable gardens and garbage cans give them an easy buffet.
 Remember folks... never approach or attempt to feed a bear, no matter how cute it may look. Bears are powerful animals with a full arsenal of weapons (teeth, claws, and brute strength) to defend themselves or kill prey. It is especially dangerous to approach a mother bear with cubs, as she will defend them at all costs, if she believes that they are threatened. WCO Donachy expects the mother and cubs to come down and head back into the forest after the crowd disperses and darkness sets in.
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