Sierra Madre declares bears public safety threat, claims state agency failed to contain population

After seeing an increase in bear encounters throughout their city, Sierra Madre has declared the animals a public safety threat. 

Management analyst James Carlson said that the city received 130 calls about bears last year, an increase of about 20% from 2021. Of these calls, 17 regarded bears finding their way into buildings, cars and even a school. Six reports were of people coming face-to-face with the animals, several of which ended in serious injuries. 

Additionally, the number of bears spotted in the area has grown exponentially since the 1980s and 1990s. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said over the past four decades the bear population has tripled. 

"The human population has greatly increased as well, which helps explain the increase in human-bear conflicts," the department said in a statement. 

The city placed the blame for the influx on the CDFW, which imported the bears into the hills above Sierra Madre in 1933. 

In the almost 100 years since the importation, the city claimed the department allowed the bears to grow unabated creating a public safety threat for Sierra Madre residents. However, the CDFW said the number of human-wildlife encounters jumped because of the historic drought California has experienced since 2011. 

"Because of the drought, wildlife ventured into urban areas in search of food and water, adding to the human-wildlife conflicts," said CDFW. 

Coupled with the declaration, they demanded the CDFW contain the population and remedy the public safety threat. The department said they have been very active in the area, working with the city to help with the human-wildlife conflicts

"CDFW Law Enforcement personnel responded to and investigated each "Type Red" incident that has occurred in Sierra Madre, and Wildlife Management staff followed up with community educational programs, neighborhood canvassing/education, community presentations, and attended special events such as the Sierra Madre Fire Department's Fire Prevention Festivals," the department said.