Does Pittsburgh have black bears? Yes. Here’s what to do if you see one

• A black bear was recently spotted in North Park Lake, just north of Pittsburgh.
• Officials advise the public to give bears space and not let pets bother them.
• Black bears inhabit most of Pennsylvania, but are typically transient in urban areas.

If you see a black bear near Pittsburgh, give it space, and don’t let your pet bother it.

That’s the advice Allegheny County’s parks department gave locals after a bear was spotted in a lake north of Pittsburgh, with the department issuing a warning in partnership with Allegheny County Police Department on June 16.

Here’s what to know about the bear sighting and bears around the Pittsburgh area.

When, where was black bear spotted near Pittsburgh?

A black bear was spotted in North Park Lake in McCandless Township in Allegheny County just north of Pittsburgh.

Allegheny County Parks didn’t say when the bear was seen, but they posted about the sighting on Facebook on June 16, saying the Pennsylvania Game Commission had been notified and was monitoring the situation.

What should you do if you spot a black bear in Pittsburgh area?

After a black bear was spotted in North Park Lake, Allegheny County Parks and Allegheny County Police Department put out a joint statement warning residents not to bother bears.

If you see a bear, you should use caution and give it “plenty of space,” according to the county parks department. Don’t approach it, and don’t try to interact with it. If you have a pet with you, keep them controlled on a leash.

“The best thing you can do is view wildlife from a safe distance and allow it to move through the area undisturbed,” the parks department said.

The state also bans residents from feeding bears.

How common are black bears in Pittsburgh area?

Bears inhabit forested areas across more than three-quarters of Pennsylvania, though they’ve been spotted in every county, according to the state game commission. The bears seen in large urban centers and agricultural areas, like the southeastern corners of the state and parts of the western border, are generally transient, as those areas don’t have enough woods to create a good habitat.

The population of bears statewide is estimated to be about 19,000 and is managed through regulated hunting to reduce the risk of more frequent human-bear conflicts. Hunters harvested 2,873 black bears in 2026, with Tioga County reporting the most harvests. Allegheny did not rank among the counties with the top 10 most bears harvested.

Black bears are also not uncommon across the border in Ohio. The state set a record with more than 500 sightings in 2025, according to a report from the Ohio Department of National Resources, with the department finding “consistent evidence” that female black bears live in the northeast corner of the state.

Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.