California’s black bears are on the move and turning up in some surprising places.
In early August, a yearling black bear was spotted within the Roseville and Rocklin city limits in Placer County. Earlier in the year, another adult female and her two young cubs were confirmed in Granite Bay, also in Placer County. The age of the young cubs indicated they were born in the suburbs outside of Sacramento and didn’t wander in from high mountain habitat above.
In July, security cameras captured extraordinary footage: A mother bear with quadruplets in tow exploring neighborhoods in Pollock Pines, El Dorado County.
“Some of what we’re seeing are natural movements as bears disperse. Bears can travel considerable distances and follow river corridors and connected open space to move through developed areas,” said Arjun Dheer, CDFW’s Statewide Black Bear Coordinator. “The presence of these very young bears in lower elevations means more communities will encounter bears for the first time so providing these communities with practical information before conflicts develop is an important part of keeping bears wild and people safe.
“Black bears are exceptionally adaptable and able to use a wide variety of habitats,” Dheer added.
For CDFW North Central Region human-bear conflict biologist Alexia Ronning, bears frequenting lower-elevation communities means quickly educating residents, local police departments, county sheriffs and animal control officers on best practices.
“The most effective response begins before any conflict occurs,” Ronning said. “Secure your garbage and other attractants, prevent access to crawl spaces and outbuildings, give bears plenty of space and never feed them.”
California is home to an estimated 61,000 black bears – the largest population of black bears in the continental United States – along with a human population of 40 million. Managing one of the country’s largest bear populations amidst the country’s largest human population is an ongoing challenge.
CDFW encourages Californians to follow the “Six At-Home BearWise Basics”: Never feed or approach bears; secure food, garbage and recycling; remove bird feeders when bears are active; never leave pet food outdoors; clean and store grills and smokers; and alert neighbors to bear activity.
Consistent action across an entire neighborhood is especially important because one unsecured food source or unsecured crawl space can draw a bear into the community and encourage behavior that places both people and bears at risk.
Learn more at CDFW’s updated black bear range map, the Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California and BearWise. Human-bear conflict can be reported at your nearest CDFW regional office. Should a bear pose an immediate public safety threat, contact emergency personnel at 911.
CDFW leverages a balanced black bear conservation and management approach that incorporates the many diverse viewpoints about black bears while enhancing the department’s ability to ensure the needs of both humans and black bears are sustained into the future. For more information on this approach, visit Bear Balance.