Bear causing problems in Pollock Pines, neighbors want it relocated
POLLOCK PINES - A bear is causing problems in Pollock Pines after residents said the bear has gotten into three homes and seven cars within a span of just a couple of weeks.
"I shine the flashlight on the passenger side and there's the big bear inside the truck looking at me," said Pat Atkins who lives on Forebay Road that's been seeing the increased bear activity.
Atkins said a bear got trapped inside his truck he left unlocked overnight, finding no food inside but demolishing the dashboard.
Neighbors believe it is a curious mama bear that has been caught on camera multiple times walking around with her two cubs and standing on her hind legs peering into someone's home.
"They're not aggressive, they are just mothers trying to feed their babies," said executive director of the BEAR League Ann Bryant.
Bryant said these encounters are not bear break-ins.
"These are what are referred to as soft entries," Bryant said.
Atkins said the same mama bear climbed through an open window in his neighbor's home.
"The bear popped the screen off the window and got into a downstairs room where she and her toddler were sleeping," Atkins said.
We are told the mom woke up from the commotion and had to scream to scare off the bear who went back out through the window.
Other neighbors told CBS News Sacramento that the same bear broke into their home and was searching for food. She came back multiple times and appeared to not be afraid of humans.
Neighbors want Fish and Wildlife to relocate the bear and her cubs.
"Their attitude right now is call us when something real serious happens, well you can't wait until someone gets hurt," said Chuck Magness who also is worried about the bear.
On Wednesday, Fish and Wildlife sent a statement saying they "generally do not relocate wildlife of any kind."
We will return a bear or mountain lion to the nearest suitable wild habitat if it ends up in some urbanized setting and can't get back to wild habitat on its own – say a bear on the UC Davis campus or a mountain lion in downtown San Francisco (both of which have happened).
Relocating a nuisance or conflict animal elsewhere simply relocates the problems or issues to another community. Bears can and will travel hundreds of miles to return to their home territory. Relocating wildlife also puts them into often fatal conflicts with existing bears and mountain lions that will simply not tolerate a new, strange animal in their territory and will seek to kill it.
Bryant said people need to outsmart the bear.
"Close and lock your doors and windows and the bears won't come in," said Bryant.
Most of these long-time residents who have been living among the bears for years and know the do's and don'ts but believe this one is different.
"We underestimate how powerful they are and that they are wild animals, and it could turn bad very quickly," Atkins said.
Bryant said Fish and Wildlife does not relocate bears, but we are still working to get a response from the department.
For now, many of these neighbors are taking new precautions like installing motion sensors and noises to scare off the bears but some fear just walking around outside, especially at night.