Bears in Urban Areas

June 20, 2019

Question: It seems like there have been a lot of instances of bears in urban areas recently. I’ve heard of several cases where the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) had to tranquilize a bear and move it out of a residential neighborhood. Why does this seem to be happening more frequently? (Stephanie)

Answer: Yes, there’s been an increase in the number of bear calls, compared to other times of the year. But that’s something we see every year in the springtime. A lot of these bears are two-year-olds that are venturing out on their own for the first time. They’re exploring their surroundings, following food and water sources, and they sometimes take a wrong turn and end up where they’re not supposed to be.

Sometimes adult bears can find themselves in a similar predicament. Bears are in search of food (and sometimes mates) this time of year, and that search can lead them into areas with a dense human population. Often these bears can find their own way home, given enough time and space. In some cases, if there are too many people or other reasons why the bear cannot safely retreat to the wild on its own, CDFW staff will intervene.

We recently published a list of seven things to know about California bear activity at https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2019/06/07/seven-things-to-know-about-california-bear-activity-right-now/ that you might find interesting.