Το Ημερολόγιο του Bears of Southern California

Original source: https://www.hddailynews.com/news/local/lone-black-bear-in-victorville-may-have-traveled-50-miles-in-6-days/article_1ef8add4-48c1-11ec-a321-2f01b26120fd.html
By: Andrew Caravella, Nov 18, 2021

Did you see the wild bear in Victorville this past week? Where did it come from?

Several reports and pictures circulating on social media showed what experts believe is a young American Black Bear between 1 to 2 years old. The wild animal emerged in Victorville after traveling nearly 50 miles in 6 days.

The bear's previous sighting was seen in Kramer Junction and wildlife experts believe the bear made his untimely journey from Kern County.

Wildlife Biologist Jeff Villepique, who was exclusively referred to HD Daily News from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, says that it's not the first time an American Black Bear has been seen in the Mojave Desert. On average, it happens about once a year, with previous sightings of other bears being seen in Yermo and Twentynine Palms over recent years.

This specific bear, which had been tagged by wildlife officials, was seen just last Thursday out in Kramer Junction and experts believe the bear may have been seeking a new habitat. Officials say the sighting is an indication that there are more bears in the mountains than the mountain can hold as territorial issues get calculated into the equation. Experts also believe that the constant drought that California is facing may also be a factor on some wildlife's migration patterns.

Reports on Wednesday night from police to HD Daily News say that the bear was spotted near Village and Amargosa around 3:30 in the afternoon and deputies had been keeping an eye on it.

The City of Victorville reported that on Wednesday, Animal Care and Control officials as well as Victorville Police responded to reports of the bear in the neighborhood near Amargosa Road and Village Drive.

According to the city, after law enforcement arrived on scene, officers reached out to California Fish and Wildlife for assistance, however, they had been denied a response.

Officers then attempted to tranquilize the bear so it could be relocated humanely. However, those efforts failed and the bear ran into Mojave Drive where it was hit by a car and died.

Villepique was able to clarify why California Fish and Wildlife would not get involved. He says that when wildlife is "doing its thing," Fish and Wildlife does not intervene. It's generally assumed that the bear will continue on its way. The wildlife biologist also says that if the bear is not distressed or trapped, it's also advised that Fish and Wildlife won't intervene either.

Villepique says that the incident, as rare as it is in the High Desert, should be a reminder to everyone in the community that it's important to be alert and that the community does live among wildlife, something everyone should always be cautious of.

Originial source: https://www.newsweek.com/video-shows-bear-cubs-epic-battle-inflatable-reindeer-front-yard-1658491
By: Xander Landen, 12/11/21

Video captured in California showed a bear cub furiously attacking an inflatable reindeer that's part of a front yard Christmas display.

The video, which was posted on Facebook by a witness of the incident in Monrovia, California, showed the young bear jumping on the reindeer, at times biting it and thrashing it around in its mouth.

"Rudolph p**sed off the bears," a caption on the Facebook video read. The video was posted on Wednesday, and as of Saturday morning, it had been viewed 12,000 times.

"I looked up and there it was jumping on the reindeer," said Donna Hargett, who posted the video of the incident, told CBS Los Angeles. "I was laughing to myself out in the street."

Despite biting and pawing from the cub, the inflatable reindeer seems to remain intact by the end of the video, when the bear seems to lose interest.

Hargett said the bears often visit the neighborhood.

"We see these two around all the time," Hargett said. "They're trouble."

She added that other bears also frequent the area, and said that on one occasion, some entered her home.

"Through the window one time," Hargett told the news station.

"There were scratches on the wall and one got up on the bed. There were paw prints," she added.

On a website for the city of Monrovia, California, officials warned residents about attracting bears.

"Throughout spring and summer, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife receive many calls when bears break into homes and rummage through trash bins. These bears are often labeled 'nuisance' bears, but in reality, they are just doing what comes naturally to them—foraging for food," the website stated.

City officials added that bears have "keen noses and can smell an easy meal from miles away. They can easily tear a front door off its hinges if they smell food left out on the kitchen counter."

In February 2020, a 400-pound black bear that was taking a stroll around the city was tranquilized, the Los Angeles Times reported, noting that one resident came within feet of the animal as it walked on his lawn. Officials said the bear seemed familiar with the area as a food source.