Black bear visits Butler Area Senior High School
A black bear wandered on to the Butler Senior High School campus Friday.
School superintendent Brian White said physical education classes were held indoors and no incidents were reported, but parents were notified about the furry visitor.
“The Butler Area School District received reports of a black bear sighting on the Senior High School campus. There have been no reports of human contact or aggressive behavior, but out of caution the district has notified the Pennsylvania Game Commission,” the district’s notice said.
The notification also directs parents to contact the game commission if they have questions about bears.
According to the game commission’s website, bear encounters are rare and attacks are “extremely rare.”
“In most cases, a bear will detect you first and leave the area long before you'll ever see it,” the website reads.
When encounters do occur, the game commission recommends making noise to alert the bear, backing away slowly and staying calm. People are asked to avoid running away or climbing trees.
