Bear Back In Woods After Roaming La Cañada-Flintridge Neighborhood, Dipping In Pool, Perching On Tree

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE (CBSLA.com) — A bear may be back in the Angeles National Forest after roaming a La Cañada-Flintridge neighborhood for most of the day, causing a stir.

The three-year-old female bear was spotted wandering among homes Wednesday morning. At one point, it took a dip in a pool on Jarvis Avenue.

Erin Gershik said her husband almost encountered the animal in their backyard when he went out to add more water to their swimming pool.

"He just noticed that there was water along our steps. So he ran inside and turned the news on and saw that there was a bear in our backyard," Gershik said. "He might have just missed him by may be 30 seconds as he was walking around the other side of our yard."

The 200-pound bear was later spotted swimming again in another pool.

Known by wildlife officials as "Red No. 2," the bear then climbed up a tree and perched there for 7 hours before coming down around 6:15 p.m.

The California Department of Fish & Wildlife said it decided to let the animal come down on her own and not force her down because she showed no aggression.

But about an hour later, the bear was spotted in a canyon behind Craig and Mary Robbins' home. "I hear all this crunching noise. And I said: 'Oh Mary! Oh my gosh it's here. We heard the noise. We heard it coming up. All of sudden, there it was...right down the canyon," Craig Robbins said.

"I think every time we go into the backyard, we just need to be a little bit more careful and cautious, observant," Mary Robbins said.

Wildlife officials say if you see the bear again, immediately call them or the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.