The number of bear sightings in Los Angeles County’s foothill communities has residents concerned and wildlife officials reminding the public of ways to keep the animals off their property.
Two people arriving at their Sierra Madre home on Friday told KTLA’s Kimberly Cheng that they see bears in the neighborhood “all the time.”
Another resident, who shared video of a bear attempting to paw its way into a pet door at her home, says she loves the bears, but lately, they’ve been getting a little too close.
“I came downstairs and the bear was right here. He was trying to get in through this doggie-door … and then he just stuck his head in, so I just freaked out,” Anne Heil said of her encounter on the 800 block of Skyland Drive.
She decided at that point to scare the bear away by yelling at it, “and that worked,” she said.
Heil, who has lived in the neighborhood for 14 years, said this was the first time a bear had tried to enter her home.
Neighbors who share a community group chat have shared multiple videos, including one showing a momma bear and cubs looking through the window of a residence on June 14. Another shows a large bear, possibly the same as Heil’s, outside a home on June 8.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials told KTLA that they have received 15 reports of bear sightings or encounters in June alone and are continuing to monitor the situation.
Officials suggested that residents put food away, lock trash bins and haze the bears to make them uncomfortable in their neighborhoods.
The City of Sierra Madre asked residents to report bear sightings to the state’s tracking website. The public was also urged to call 911 if a bear is found inside a home or a person feels unsafe.
The Sierra Madre Police Department can be called if the bear has left but keeps returning, or if you observe an illegal feeding.