A quiet overnight in the Holland section of Northampton Township turned into neighborhood buzz after a black bear casually wandered through a driveway, getting caught on a home security camera and spooking residents across this corner of Bucks County.
Nighttime visit caught on camera
The surprise guest showed up around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday outside Jen Dougherty’s home on Doris Avenue, where surveillance video captured a black bear lumbering across the driveway. Dougherty told Action News she replayed the footage roughly 50 times and started to wonder if someone was pulling a prank.
Neighbors, not eager to test their luck with a late-night visitor, said they scrambled to bring pets inside and double check doors. According to 6abc, the Pennsylvania Game Commission said wardens are tracking reports and weighing whether the bear can be safely captured and relocated.
Recent sightings across Central Bucks
This is not an isolated cameo. The Northampton sighting follows a string of late May bear reports across Central Bucks, with calls coming in from Solebury and Plumstead townships and additional sightings in New Britain and Towamencin.
Police in those communities urged residents to secure trash, remove outdoor food sources and keep a respectful distance from any wildlife. Coverage of those earlier run-ins appeared in Patch Doylestown and Central Bucks Now.
Police and schools respond
In Northampton Township, police echoed the same warning, urging residents not to approach the bear and to report any sightings right away.
Parents said an elementary school principal alerted families that students would stay inside for recess after activity was reported near Middle Holland Road and St. Leonards Road. Neighbors said they shut dog doors, kept a close watch on small pets and waited for wildlife officers to track the animal. These details were reported to Action News, according to 6abc.
How residents can stay safe
Officials are reminding residents that the best way to keep bears moving along is to remove easy meals. That means securing garbage, bringing pet food indoors, taking down bird feeders and keeping small animals inside whenever possible.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission also stresses that people should not feed or approach wildlife. Residents are asked to report sick, injured or nuisance animals by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD. Additional guidance is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which notes that those contacts are the best way to alert wardens and get a coordinated response.
Neighbors keep watch
For now, people on the block say they are staying alert and waiting to hear whether wardens will attempt to trap or relocate the bear.
“I’m just hoping everybody stays safe, including the bear,” Dougherty said.
