Efforts are underway to capture two black bear cubs and their mother, who is ear-tagged, and relocate them after repeated sightings in southern Butler County, primarily Penn Township and Butler Township, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced Friday, June 21.

“The bears have become very habituated to human activity and do not exhibit the normal level of fear expected from a wild bear when it encounters people,” the news release states. “Because of the comfort level they have with humans, these bears are frequenting areas that are putting them in danger.”

One bear cub was struck and killed by a vehicle on Saxonburg Road in May, the game commission stated. The goal is to capture the remaining bears together and “relocate them to a more suitable habitat for their safety and to limit bear conflicts in the area.”

The game commission encourages residents to avoid interaction with the bears and take precautions by removing bird feeders, limiting access to garbage, barbecue grills and pet food, and looking outside before letting pets out into the yard, especially in the evening. In the event of a bear encounter, the game commission advises giving the wild animals space and not approaching them.

Bear sightings can be reported by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD.