Black bears in Sierra Madre, a city located next to the 283,280-hectare Angeles National Forest in California, broke into people’s homes, cars, and gardens when humans invaded their habitat.
Residents in the area reported frequent clashes vBlack bears invaded. They sneak into people’s houses to look for food, simply by opening the door. In particular, a bear recently attracted attention when it moved into an abandoned house on Alta Vista Drive, Newsweek reported on October 1.
While bear sightings in the area are not uncommon, this new phenomenon is causing concern. In 2020, Sierra Madre recorded about 100 clashes, but last year the number jumped to 380 with at least 50 break-ins. Homeowners like Sara Alden feel the impact clearly. “Over the past five years, black bears have really become a nuisance. They are becoming more reckless,” Alden shared. His house once had a bear rummaging through the trash.
Erinn Wilson, South Coast regional manager for the California Fish and Wildlife Service, told the Sierra Madre City Council some bears are easy to scare away, others are more dangerous. Some have learned to adapt to human schedules, roaming the neighborhood on trash collection day. Many bears are not afraid of people and destroy property, even killing livestock.
The bear living on Alta Vista Drive is one of the most troubling cases. Neighbors complained about the break-in and the strong odor, forcing authorities to take action. With no response from the homeowner, the city government was forced to issue an inspection order for the house. In August, Fish and Wildlife officials found clear evidence of black bears living there, including broken windows, bear tracks, feces and decomposing food. They cleaned the house and the bear has not appeared since then.
To reduce the potential for conflict with black bears, the Fish and Wildlife Service recommends that people keep pets indoors at night, block off places where bears may hide, install motion-activated lights, and Use closed trash cans.
An estimated 50,000 – 81,000 black bears live in California. The number of this species is increasing and they are adapting to human habitat very quickly. Black bear (scientific name Ursus americanus) is omnivorous, adults can weigh 90-270 kg. Their main food includes grass, roots, berries and insects. Excellent climbing, swimming and fishing skills help black bears thrive in their natural habitat in North America.