A Sierra Madre couple has recently discovered a black bear living in the crawlspace under their home in the San Gabriel Valley foothills. Despite sightings of the bear in the neighborhood on a cool September day, the couple, Bob and Susan Nesler, have few complaints about the bear they have named “Junior.” They have been in contact with wildlife officials and expressed a desire to have the bear removed humanely. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife agents have captured photos of the bear and are working with the homeowners to secure the crawlspace to prevent the bear from returning.
The black bear population in California has been on the rise over the last two decades. They are known to forage for food in neighborhoods when resources are scarce in their natural habitat. Black bears can have different color coats, ranging from tan or brown to black, and can weigh up to 600 pounds. Despite the fearsome image of bears, black bears are not typically aggressive towards humans and attacks are rare.
While the grizzly bear, featured on the state flag, can no longer be found in the California wild, the black bear population is thriving. The black bear population in the state estimates to be between 25,000 to 30,000, with half of the population found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The situation with the black bear living under the Nesler’s home highlights the importance of coexisting with wildlife in California’s natural environment.
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