New Sightings of BB14 and Her Cubs
Recently BB14 and family was spotted around Tuna/Saddle Peak, Hillside (both sides), Old Canyon, North TCB, and maybe other areas. And now, Susan Clark, who leads the Topanga Animal Rescue, had the unexpected visitors in her yard a few nights ago.
The well-known mama bear was seen scavenging near her home on North Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Mama and her three cubs reportedly knocked over several neighbors’ trash cans, artfully rearranged supplies in Susan’s pickup truck, and — yes — left a little “gift” in her yard. So… does a bear really s*** in the woods? Turns out, sometimes the backyard will do just fine!
By the way, Topanga Animal Rescue is a registered 501c3 non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to providing immediate medical field triage and transportation for wounded and abandoned animals in the Santa Monica Mountains and the San Fernando Valley area — but they don’t do bears! They will leave that special chore to California Dept of Fish & Wildlife.
Additional advice from Jessica West, CDFW:
While I would not be able to share precise location data for Yellow 2291/BB14, her collar data shows that the bear has primarily been traversing through the Topanga communities west of HWY 27. This particular bear has shown from previous collar data that she has the proclivity to move long distances, so it would not be surprising to see the bear and her cubs eventually moving out of the Topanga area for some period of time (though, being wild animals, we of course cannot know for sure).
I hope that following information will be helpful to share with the Town Council in the interim:
- Black bears tend to avoid direct interactions with humans, as well as dogs. Black bear sows (females) with cubs also tend to be less “cub defensive” – that is, unlike other bear species, black bears will typically try to leave an area with their cubs if they feel threatened, or cubs may climb into a tree to avoid a perceived threat. This is why it is important to give ample space to a black bear with cubs, to ensure that the family has an escape route if they need to leave an area quickly. Attempting to approach a black bear with cubs may cause the sow to respond defensively. Never attempt to feed or get close to black bears of any age
- Black bears by nature are very wary of dogs and typically do their best to avoid them. Dogs can, however, exacerbate situations and cause the bear to become stressed or defensive (as dogs may bark at or chase bears). CDFW recommends that pet owners always walk their dogs (and other animals!) on a non-retractable leash to help prevent interactions with anyspecies of wildlife, and to keep pets indoors.
- CDFW receives thousands of black bear sighting reports each year, and very few sightings result in a black bear being identified as a threat to public safety (which only law enforcement personnel can determine). Most conflict with black bears is resolved by removing access to attractants/resources (trash, wild bird food, pet food, fruit trees, etc.). When bear activity increases in a community, it is veryimportant to manage those attractants appropriately to prevent conflicts.
- For garbage-related issues, in the short run CDFW recommends keeping existing cans/bins inside a garage or a sturdy four-walled structure. Only place them on the street the morning (or mid-afternoon) of trash pick-up day and bring them in as soon as possible. We also advise cleaning bins regularly to cut down on smells. Hanging ammonia-soaked rags and/or placing sponges around the bins as a smell deterrent may be helpful – but ammonia can evaporate quickly, and will need to be replaced daily for the best effect.
- CDFW cannot ensure a safe outcome for any wild animal that comes into close proximity with human development or roads. CDFW does not typically interfere with the natural movements or activities of wildlife, unless an animal has no immediate access route back to suitable habitat. There also exists inherent risks in attempting to move a family unit of bears. Yellow 2291/BB14 traveled on her own into the Santa Monica Mountains, even after having been moved previously into Angeles National Forest. She was not placed in the Santa Monicas by CDFW or NPS.
- CDFW will continue to monitor the bear family in partnership with NPS, while providing information to reporting parties who share observations of the bear family. The public is strongly encouraged to submit wildlife reports via the online Wildlife Incident Reporting (WIR) System.
Be Bear Wise
Protect Yourself: In response to growing community interest, we are passing on compiled resources from California Dept of Fish & WIldlife (CDFW) to help keep both the visiting bear and her three cubs safe, as well as ensure the safety of residents.
How to keep your property, pets and trash secure:
Download helpful Bear Safety Tips.
Download the Be Bear Wise at Home Checklist.
Download the Dog & Bears Tips.
Want to know more about Topanga’s famous bear?
Read last year’s detailed article about Yellow 2291/BB14, by Rosi Dagit, Principal Conservation Biologist of the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Help CDFW keep track of BB14: Report all bear sightings to CDFW here.