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SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2019 VOLUME 13 NO. 24 SIERRA MADRE CIVIC CLUB AWARDS GRANTS TO 14 ORGANIZATIONS MAMA BEAR, BABY BEAR, DOG AND DOG OWNER SURVIVE ENCOUNTER WITHOUT CATASTROPHE The City of Sierra Madre is a Wildlife Sanctuary and as such any incident involving the clashing of cultures between humans, and in this case domesticated animals, concerns just about the entire town. Early last week, a black bear and her cub came down from the hillsides and encountered a dog who apparently did not care for the visitors in the dogs backyard, Numerous accounts say the dog was particularly interested in why the cub was in the tree and that did not sit well with Mama Bear who decided to protect her cub. In turn, the homeowner came out to save his dog, and he too was 'addressed' by Mama bear. That is the lighter version of the incident. Both the man and his dog escaped serious injury and Mama Bear and her cub eventually were released back into the hillsides. The incident captured the attention of many residents who were fearful that the adult bear would be euthanised. That did not happen. There was further concern that the mother and her cub would be separated. That didn't happen either. However, what did happen was a reminder of the challenges we face in this area 'living with wildlife'. Here is a portion of the official version of events from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife: The adult black bear that scratched a man on his Sierra Madre property on June 10 was protecting her cub and not acting abnormally aggressive, a California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) investigation has concluded. CDFW is in the process of releasing both the bear and cub back to suitable habitat near the location where they were captured. As the paper went to press we received confirmation that the bear family was indeed released together back into the forest. The sow strayed onto the man’s property, where the adult bear was challenged by the man’s dog. The sow had a cub nearby. The dog reportedly engaged in a physical confrontation with the sow prompting the man to run into the fray to save his dog. He kicked the sow, which prompted it to scratch him. CDFW biologists concluded the bear acted in defense of itself and its cub, which constitutes normal behavior. The man successfully saved the dog and called 911. The injuries to the man and his dog were not serious and both are expected to fully recover. A wildlife officer responded to the scene and tranquilized both bears after the man identified them as the ones involved in the incident. Officers collected DNA evidence samples from the man and the sow and sent them to the CDFW Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Sacramento for analysis. Forensics scientists compared the DNA profile of the captured adult bear to those of evidence taken from the man to conclude with a very high level of confidence that the captured bear was the one involved in the incident. Forensics scientists also compared the bear’s DNA to the DNA evidence collected from a bear attack reported on April 25, also in Sierra Madre. The evidence showed that it was not the same bear. CDFW reminds Californians that much of the state is bear country, even Los Angeles County, one of the most populated counties in the United States. CDFW encourages the citizens of Sierra Madre and anyone living in and around bear habitat to review tips on how to better coexist with bears and other wildlife at KeepMeWild.org. CDFW also recently published seven things to know about California bear activity right now. (1) Has there been an increase in the number of bears entering residential areas? There is a definite uptick in bear activity, which occurs every year around this time, all across the state. In most instances, we’re witnessing the dispersal of young male black bears. Young bears typically spend about two years with their mother, after which the mother chases off her young male offspring in the spring to fend for themselves. The behavior itself is not unusual for the time of year. Nature provides these youngsters with the best chance of survival as they are turned out on their own at a time of year when food and water resources on the landscape are the most available and plentiful. California’s black bears of all ages are waking up hungry from their winter downtime and are out actively searching for food. Adult bears may also be out searching for mates. There is more bear activity across the state this time of year and sometimes the adults end up in the wrong place, too. 2.Even when bears are spotted in populated and residential communities, the bears will typically and happily find their way back to wild habitat on their own without any kind of assistance. Only when a bear becomes stuck in a situation where it can’t escape or is in danger of harming itself or others will CDFW typically intervene to remove the bear and safely return it to wild habitat. (3) In some unfortunate cases throughout the state, black bears are being struck and hit by vehicles on the roadways. Drivers need to be particularly alert this time of year as wildlife of all kinds – bears, bobcats, deer, coyotes, foxes, among them – are on the move, out and about, and more active and visible than usual. (4) Are these bears a public safety threat or a threat to my pets? Black bears very rarely pose any kind of public safety threat and are not often a threat to domestic dogs and cats. For the most part, they do their very best to stay as far away from people as possible. (5) What kind of bears are these? California is home only to one species of bear – the black bear. Black bears, however, come in a variety of colors, including black, brown, blond and cinnamon. (6) How can I help the bears? Bears have a highly specialized sense of smell. The public can help bears stay out of human settlements and stick to their natural diet by properly disposing of leftover food and garbage and securing other attractants such as pet food so these dispersing bears don’t become acclimated to urban environments. CDFW’s Keep Me Wild: Black Bear webpage offers a number of other useful tips to keep the bears wild and safe. (7) Who should I call to report a bear? A black bear spotted while out hiking, camping or recreating in wild habitat is not necessarily a cause for alarm. Bears spotted in residential, suburban or urban areas should be reported to the nearest CDFW regional office during normal business hours. After-hours or weekend sightings should be reported first to local police or sheriff officers, who often can respond and secure a scene quickly and then contact CDFW as needed. In any kind of emergency situation, please call 911. The photo above was submitted by a Sierra Madre resident the very next day. This is not the same bear as in the incident mentioned above. MVNews Civic Club President Marcia Bent announced to the City Council and general public the awarding of 14 grants to a variety of local charities. Pictured above are representatives of the respective groups. A total of $9,500 was disbursed from the Civic Club's philanthropy funds. The recipients were: Civic Club Beautification Committee/Wistaria Vine City of Sierra Madre Mount Wilson Trail Race Convalescent Aid Society Creative Arts Group Reading is Fundamental Sierra Madre CERT Sierra Madre Community Foundation/Fletcher Fund Sierra Madre Community Foundation/4th of July Committee Sierra Madre Elementary PTA Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery Association Sierra Madre Playhouse Sierra Madre Public Library Sierra Madre Rose Float Association and the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team. Organized in 1944 by women "who were interested in creating a better community", their purpose is to promote Sierra Madre as a friendly, caring place to live. They meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Hart Park House in Sierra Madre’s Memorial Park. For additional information go to: www.sierramadrecivicclub.org. Photo by Mary Lou Caldwell Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Mountain Views News 80 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. #327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.604.4548 www.mtnviewsnews.com |