Denise Hager of Mars saw this bear Tuesday morning. It's her second sighting of a bear.

MARS — The state Game Commission could place traps in the borough and surrounding areas in an effort to trap bears that have been roaming through neighborhoods.

However, a state game warden said Thursday that measure will only be taken if the bears become a nuisance.

According to Kevin Radford, Mars Police chief, his department has received several calls during the past week from people reporting bear sightings. This comes after the bears were spotted in Adams Township and near Mars High School.

“We’ve had quite a few,” he said of the reports.

Reports indicate there are at least two bears and possibly a third. One appears to be a sow, while the others are cubs. They have shown up in neighborhoods and last week one was spotted near the Mars Train Station off Mars-Valencia Road.

Bears have also been spotted in the Zelienople area in recent weeks. According to Jake Olexsak, state game warden, it is unclear if these are the same bears as the ones spotted in Adams. He said bears can travel 60 to 80 miles fairly quickly in search of territory.

Olexsak said he spoke with Mars police on Wednesday about the possibility of placing traps in the borough. The bears would be taken and released in a remote location away from the area.

However, he said trapping is typically only used when the animals are ruled a nuisance. That could include getting into sheds, garbage cans or bird feeders and generally causing a disturbance or doing damage in an area. Thus far, he said there have been no such reports.

“We’re playing it by ear,” he said. “We’ll address those issues as they come up.”

Olexsak said the statewide population of bears is estimated to be more than 20,000. Because of that, he said it is quite common for bears to pop up in populated areas — especially at this time of year, when juvenile bears are being dispelled from their families.

“There’s a good chance that a month from now they won’t be in the area at all,” he said.

If a bear is spotted in their neighborhood residents are advised to keep trash inside, remove bird feeders and feed outdoor pets in the morning as opposed to the nighttime. Additionally, if you encounter a bear, turn around and walk away.