Bear captured in Sierra Madre
A bear was captured in a Sierra Madre neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.
Due to a recent increase in bear activity in the area, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife had been frequently calling the Sierra Madre Police Department to check on them and authorities happened to get a report of a bear sighting in a front yard, CDFW spokesman Tim Daly said.
The bear was spotted and darted and was able to run into a different yard before falling asleep.
Officials were then able to put the young adult female bear in a cage in the back of a trailer. Crews are taking the bear to the “nearest suitable habitat” in the Angeles National Forest, Daly said.
The bear is not currently tagged, but she will get an ear tag and collar.
She is one of at least three bears that are believed to be active in the area.
One of the residents who saw the bear Tuesday thinks she had tried to get into a house, but it is unclear she if is the one garnering recent media attention, Daly said.
CDFW was assisted at Tuesday’s scene by police and the Pasadena Humane Society.
Residents in the area had been concerned over the increased bear sightings, and city officials even canceled an outdoor event due to the uptick in encounters.
Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on Aug. 8, 2023. (RMG) Residents met with city officials and wildlife experts at the Sierra Madre Public Library to discuss ways to approach the potential dangers of increased bear encounters on Sept. 16, 2023. (KTLA) A bear went for a dip in Sierra Madre on Sept. 13, 2023. (Mike Cook) Bear encounters growing in Sierra Madre, leaving residents concerned. (KTLA) Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on Aug. 8, 2023. (RMG) Bear encounters growing in Sierra Madre, leaving residents concerned. (KTLA) A bear appears to open a car door in Sierra Madre. (Sandy Duvall) Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on Aug. 8, 2023. (RMG) Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on Aug. 8, 2023. (RMG) Bear encounters growing in Sierra Madre, leaving residents concerned. (KTLA) A bear was caught on video roaming a Sierra Madre neighborhood on July 13, 2023. Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on Aug. 8, 2023. (RMG) Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on Aug. 8, 2023. (RMG) Video captured a mama bear and her two cubs enjoying a summer day of activities in Sierra Madre on Aug. 8, 2023. (RMG)
Last week, a bear broke into a home in the 100 block of South Hermosa Avenue and enjoyed some food in the refrigerator.
The bear apparently had eventually wandered out of the home on its own.
Officials said there have been over 30 calls reporting bears in the past month alone.
Over the weekend, residents met with city leaders and wildlife experts to discuss ways to approach the potential dangers.
Back in April, city officials declared urbanized bears a safety threat and asked state wildlife officials to review bear management policies.
In the meantime, James Carlson, a spokesman for the city of Sierra Madre, said locals should remain vigilant.
“Primarily, I think the most effective thing that we’re going to be doing is providing bear-resistant cans to all of our residents and that will happen toward the end of October,” Carlson said.
That’s around 3,800 homes, and the distribution of those trash bins will likely take around a week, he added.
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