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WOODLAND HILLS — Wildlife officials relocated a young bear they worried was getting too familiar with the residences nearby.
Thursday, Division of Wildlife Resources officers captured and relocated a bear that had wandered into a Woodland Hills neighborhood several times a week over the last five weeks, eating birdseed from feeders and swimming in one homeowner’s ponds, DWR wildlife biologist Steve Gray said.
“It’s always a possibility when people leave food, garbage, hummingbird feeders, grills, anything like that will attract a bear because their noses are just incredible at what they can smell,” he said.
Gray estimated the bear was about 2 years old and was living its first summer outside of its mother’s den.
Over the last few weeks, wildlife biologists have set culvert traps nearby, but were unsuccessful in trapping the bear.
“In the fall, they are a little harder to trap, they’re a little more particular about what they eat,” Gray said. “They’re trying to store up fat for the winter. I couldn’t tell you the reason why it wouldn’t go in the trap, it was just trap shy. It wouldn’t go in there.”
DWR contacted the federal agency Wildlife Services to assist tracking the bear. Gray said there were signs that the bear had traveled up and down the mountain consistently. Biologists hoped to get the bear relocated before winter to curb possible problems in the spring.
“It got to the point where it was hanging around so much that we had to take other action besides trying to trap it, because that wasn’t working that well,” he said.
Wildlife Services dogs were able to track and tree the bear and officials were able to tranquillize the bear, Gray said. They carried the bear back down the mountain to the culvert trap, which they were able to use to transport the bear.
Biologists administered a reversal drug to wake the bear, which was awake before transport, Gray said. The animal was taken to a remote area.
Contributing: Dave Cawley
