The residents “looked out and the bear had walked up to a dog... they went nose to nose, sniffed each other and went their separate ways,” with the bear jumping onto the fence, walking it and then taking off to the north. “That was the last time he was seen,” Asst. Chief Hanson noted.“It’s pretty obvious that he’s not aggressive, just out cruising around,” and probably has had experience with being captured and released. “According to Fish and Game and based on the color and location of the ear tag,” spied by those who have observed the animal, “it matched the bear that was recently released near Lake Pyramid. I think the Day Fire pushed him out this way and he’s just kind of out cruising. At this point we don’t know if he made it out to the riverbed, into the east country or back into one of the canyons.”If you spot the bear, stay away and call the Santa Paula Police Department. “Just because of the fact that it hasn’t acted aggressively, don’t go up and pet it,” but Asst. Chief Hanson added there is no reason for panic. “Just take common sense precautions, keep an eye on it,” and observe what direction the bear is heading “so we can better locate it. Let us corner it and relocate it. There’s still a lot of backcountry between the Day Fire and Santa Paula, and animals are going to head away from the fire, that’s for sure. So far this bear seems to the only one” on the prowl, noted Asst. Chief Hanson.If you do spot the bear call 911 immediately. Santa Paula Police Department officers and Department of Fish and Game personnel will respond, give the bear a sedative to knock it out and take the animal back to the forest - an area not threatened by fire - where it will be released safely into the wild. Such relocations are careful not to harm the animal except for a bear-sized hangover from the medication.
Black bear spotted in several neighborhoods
September 22, 2006
Santa Paula News
With the Day Fire there are aftereffects already being felt, even as the blaze continues to consume thousands of acres of Las Padres National Forest land: wildlife coming into the city.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesWith the Day Fire there are aftereffects already being felt, even as the blaze continues to consume thousands of acres of Las Padres National Forest land: wildlife coming into the city. Residents have reported hearing coyotes howling, but a large black bear that shows evidence of being captured and released in the past is causing the most concern, according to Santa Paula Assistant Police Chief Mark Hanson.“He’s about 250 pounds,” and was first reported Sunday afternoon, Asst. Chief Hanson said Tuesday morning. “They kind of chased him around in the Oaks,” but the bear eluded capture, turning up later on Monte Vista.“The bear was cruising down the road going west and then ended up on Montclair,” and was last seen entering shrubbery on the top of a hill, said Asst. Chief Hanson. “He apparently jumped the fence,” and entered Fagan Canyon about mid-afternoon.The bear reappeared at about 8 a.m. on Monday. “The bear was seen in a clump of houses at the base of the mountains up on Ojai Road; it was seen walking around a driveway, not doing anything in particular. By the time we got there,” the bear had again disappeared but was reported to be a rear yard of a house on Mariposa Street at about 8:30 a.m.
