Diario del proyecto Bears of Southern California

Archivos de diario de julio 2021

09 de julio de 2021

Bear Attacks Group of Men on the 4th of July on Mount Wilson

Original source: https://www.foxla.com/news/bear-attack-mount-wilson
7/6/2021
By Mary Stringini

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Dramatic video shows a tense encounter between a bear and a group of men celebrating the Fourth of July on Mount Wilson.

According to the man who took the video, three men were waiting for the fireworks to start at Mount Wilson around 8:30 p.m. Sunday night when a small bear suddenly appeared from the bushes and attacked the men and their snacks.

Harrowing video captures fearless terriers chase away bear that wandered into home
One of the victims was bitten by the bear, but his injury was said to be non-life-threatening.

The group was able to scare the bear away from their site after a roughly 30-second encounter.

FOX 11 has reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and is waiting to hear back.

A day after the wild incident, FOX 11's Marla Tellez caught up with Kenneth Fregozo, one of the men who fought off the hungry cub, and his girlfriend Sonia Montiel.

"Are you going back there next July 4?" asked Tellez.

"Oh yeah," Kenneth responded.

"With no food!" Sonia playfully added.

Publicado el julio 9, 2021 06:30 TARDE por out_west_jess out_west_jess | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

Bear Takes Midnight Stroll Through Newbury Park

Original source: https://www.toacorn.com/articles/bear-takes-midnight-stroll-through-newbury-park/
July 09, 2021
By Dawn Megli

A young black bear was spotted roaming the streets of Newbury Park early Friday morning.

Police received reports of the animal being in the vicinity of the Borchard Skatepark shortly after midnight July 9, Sgt. Tim Lohman told the Acorn. He said Ventura County sheriff’s deputies followed the animal for about 45 minutes until it returned to open space.

He said the Department of Fish and Wildlife didn’t respond to the area because they only intervene if the animal poses a threat.

“The little bear had a complete tour of the neighborhood of Kimber/Fallbrook/Mayfield/Reino before heading through the Albertsons parking lot,” Newbury Park resident Jill Mahon told the Acorn.

Capt. Eric Buschow said bear sightings occur in the Conejo Valley “every once in a while.”

“I remember chasing one around Westlake a while ago,” he said.

Buschow said the bear was probably looking for water.

“The problem is with the heat and the drought there’s probably no natural sources of water, so he’s probably got to go sip off a sprinkler,” the captain said.

Bear sightings are not unheard of in eastern Ventura County. In May 2020, a 100-pound bear was spotted in Simi Valley before being tranquilized by Fish and Wildlife authorities and taken to a remote location in the Los Padres National Forest.

A black bear was spotted in Malibu Creek State Park in 2016 and another black bear was killed in 2014 on a 101 Freeway off-ramp in Westlake Village. There was another bear sighting in Westlake Village in 2006. That bear roamed the city for about five hours before it disappeared.

In May 2004, a bear was found in Agoura Hills wandering through yards and even lounging in a jacuzzi. In August of that year, another bear was found in a garage in Thousand Oaks near the 23 Freeway and the Reagan Library.

Publicado el julio 9, 2021 06:33 TARDE por out_west_jess out_west_jess | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

Bears... Invading Populated Parts of California Because of Drought

Original source: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/california-drought-bears-snakes-insects-b1874945.html

6/29/2021
By: Clara Hill

A lack of rain throughout California and other neighbouring states has meant an increase in reports of bears, snakes and other creatures in urban settings.

They are venturing into human-dominated areas looking for water, after their usual locations have dried up due to droughts brought on by the climate crisis. The Pacific Northwest this week experienced scorching record-setting heat.

This not only poses problems such as the destruction of natural habitats leading to the possible wipeout of species, or the danger posed by large animals like bears, but scientists have also warned of the threat of potential new viruses from the issue.

Steve Searles of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said people shouldn’t fear for their safety from bears. "They’re highly adaptable and your front lawn is just a salad for them," he said to ABC 7 News.

Rebecca Barboza, a fellow biologist at CDFW, explained to the same news outlet why a bear might want to come to an area filled with humans.

"In the urban areas, we have 24/7 access to food, water and shelter, and if you think about it in the wild, a bear might give birth to one or two cubs and those cubs may not survive until adulthood because their resources are limited," she said.

In regards to snakes, animal control professionals have noticed increased sightings.

Lee Ramirez, the owner of Ramirez Rattlesnake Removal, told The Guardian, “I am busier than I have ever been. Complaints are coming in from all over the state.”

“Rattlesnakes are becoming more common in the places where we live, work and play,” he added. He said one call tasked him with catching more than 60 snakes.

Birds and insects have also been sighted coming further afield, with experts also citing poor water provisions in the wild due to drought.

“Because there’s limited water in the environment and everything is dry, the birds go looking for water and refuge,” Cameron Webb, an entomologist and tasked with investigating mosquitos carrying diseases for the CDC, told The Guardian. “You get this combination of factors that means not only are conditions suitable for mosquitoes, but also the birds that carry the virus are more likely to be in higher concentration closer to where people live.”

He said that mosquitos succeed in dry areas because the water becomes stagnant, and easier to breed on, saying, “fish and other other animals that live in system die and mosquitoes have free rein.”

The effect is has on other insects is similar to the ones it has on bears. They are more likely to come in or near your home to see if they have the provisions they need to survive, according to Mike Bentley, a scientist with the National Pest Management Association.

“Drought often drives pests into homes or other structures in search of these resources to survive,” he explained to The Guardian.

Other problems caused by droughts on the West Coast of the US include forest fires. 2019 was marked by a significant amount of forest fires, 6,872 according to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. These ripped through 252,321 acres of land. Alongside the human cost, such as deaths and property damage, they this also destroys the habits of various species of wildlife.

Publicado el julio 9, 2021 06:54 TARDE por out_west_jess out_west_jess | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario