Bear Alert Poster

A poster was developed from neighbors to the East about the sightings of black bears in the foothills.  Here's the content of the poster:

Altadena Foothills


After the 2009 Station Fire burned much of the Angeles National Forest, surviving wildlife took refuge in remaining canyons and streambeds within the Altadena foothills. Wild animals including deer, bobcats, cougars, and black bears are spending more time at lower elevations seeking water, shelter, forage and prey in the chaparral and oak woodland around our homes.

Black bears in our neighborhood

Black bears in our neighborhood have raided bee hives, stolen food out of garbage cans, slept in our lavender, and cooled off in our ponds. While black bears are generally non-confrontational and unlikely to attack without provocation, they are also large, powerful, and unpredictable. Be aware of your surroundings and assume a bear might be nearby, especially at night. If a bear is observed, do not approach it closely or attempt to block its escape routes. It is essential that bears remain wild and afraid of humans. If a bear appears, make a noisy commotion, blast an air horn or car horn and direct bright car headlights at the bear; or turn a high power water stream on the bear, etc. Some neighbors have “shot” bears with paint ball guns (startling the bear and conveniently marking it with non-toxic, brightly colored paint that tastes bad when licked off by the bear). The intent is not to injure a bear, but to frighten it away from people and property. The objective is to make remaining near people, pets and residences unpleasant for the bear.

! A fed bear is a dead bear! !

The California Dept. of Fish & Game no longer relocates problem bears. If a bear poses a public threat or becomes a chronic, destructive nuisance, it will be killed. Your actions may affect a bear's survival.

! Secure garbage cans indoors (inside your house, garage, or a sturdy shed)

! Do not put trash out until the morning it will be picked up

! Separate food garbage from other trash and double or triple bag it to reduce tantalizing odors

! Freeze leftover poultry, rib bones & any odorous food leftovers until pick up day, then dispose in a sealed bag

! Do not leave food on a window sill or a kitchen counter below an open window, especially at night (such as a cooling pie)

! Keep BBQ grills clean and free of meat residues & do not leave food unattended on outdoor tables

! Keep all pet food away from areas the bear might be able to access, including backyards, decks and under porches

! Safeguard small domestic animals, such as chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and box turtles

! Pick up fallen & ripe fruits & vegetables that might attract a bear (such as berries, figs, avocados, apples & persimmons)

! Close patio doors and large windows on accessible ground floors and decks at night (screens are not secure!)

! Until the bear leaves our area, stop disposing of fresh food scraps, fruits or vegetables on compost piles or in open bins

! Don't encourage your dog(s) to chase a bear; dogs can be injured or killed and might enrage an otherwise peaceful bear

! Never deliberately feed a bear!

" Help keep all of us, including black bears, safe!

March 2010