A black bear was spotted near a residential area of Carpinteria on Thursday morning prompting local officials to send out warnings.
The City of Carpinteria took to social media to post an alert stating that on July 31, around 10:00 AM, multiple witnesses spotted a black bear near Rancho Granada Mobile Home Park at 5750 Via Real.
Two weeks early, on July 17, the city issued another notice stating probable evidence of a black bear was found.
The city stated physical evidence, which included bear droppings, was found during an investigation near Cameo Street and Casitas Pass Road, also located in a residential neighborhood.
The alert reminded residents to secure trash and compost bins, bring pet food and bird feeders inside, keep pets inside at night, and to never approach or feed bears.
The proximity to residential areas and along the creek prompted the city to issue these advisories.
“Please use caution in the area, especially near the creek and open spaces. Do not approach wildlife. Secure your trash bins and avoid leaving food and small animals outside,” the City of Carpinteria stated on social media.
Black bears are native to California and can be found in a wide range of habitats.They’re most present in Northern California and the Sierra Nevada with about 10% of the population living along the Central and South Coasts of California. Presently, the statewide black bear population size is estimated to be between 49,000-71,000, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
CDFW states black bears are highly food-motivated making it natural for a bear to investigate all attractive smells and consume whatever seems like food. The best way to prevent conflict is to eliminate the attractant.
“If a black bear becomes habituated to humans or food conditioned, they may become increasingly bold or destructive,” CDFW states.
All bear sightings can be reported to Animal Control at (805) 755-4418. If it’s an emergency, call or text 911.
Let me get this right, a native animal (Black Bear) was seen in a wilderness area (near Carp Creek) adjacent to a small number of houses. Strange how everyone around here gets their panties in a roll every time one of our woodland creatures has the audacity to wander near our communities. In the foothill areas of LA where I grew up, such as La Canada, Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre; Bears sightings are pretty much a normal, everyday occurrence. And not just sort of near the city, but wandering the streets, many blocks from any wilderness. All you’ll get from CDFW is a pamphlet on securing your crawlspaces and a guide to annoying the bear into leaving when they have taken up residence. Maybe you’d be a little less panicky of you lived somewhere near real wilderness, like the San Gabriel Valley…..
Apparently, in June, bears broke into 41 homes in Sierra Madre: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bear-trouble-in-sierra-madre-after-the-eaton-fire-home-invasions-rise-sharply/ar-AA1JIgRY?ocid=BingNewsSerp
I mean, look at his face…he’s heading for some weed at Glass House.
He wants to leave the woods (and human knuckle-heads) until after fire season.