A Yucaipa, California, homeowner got an unusually close backyard visit when three young bears wandered onto his property over the weekend.
William Dexter told ABC7 that he discovered the trio near his screen door. Video from the home showed the cubs lingering in the yard and exploring the property.
Dexter stayed inside while watching the bears from the house.
ABC7 reported that the cubs came close to the home, but the report did not say they entered the house or caused damage.
The Cubs Came Right Up to the House
Прикажи ову објаву у апликацији Instagram
ABC7 reported that the three cubs moved around Dexter’s yard and approached close to the screen door.
Dexter’s decision to remain inside kept the encounter from becoming more complicated. With cubs near a patio or back door, the safer move is to let the animals pass through without adding people, pets, or food into the scene.
Ordinary Backyard Items Can Draw Bears In
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says black bears live in natural, rural, and residential areas across the state. The agency says bears are omnivores and may eat plants, berries, pet food, human food, and trash.
CDFW warns that black bears are at higher risk of becoming food-conditioned or habituated when they gain access to non-natural food sources around people.
In a backyard, that can mean more than an overflowing trash can. Ripe fruit, fallen fruit, compost, barbecue grills, bird feeders, pet bowls, unsecured food, and scented items left outside or in vehicles can all make a property more interesting to a bear.
Doors, Windows, Pets, and Trash Need Attention
CDFW tells residents to secure trash, recycling, and compost in bear-resistant containers, pick ripe fruit from trees, collect fallen fruit promptly, clean barbecue grills after use, and remove unsecured food or strongly scented items from vehicles and yards.
The agency also tells residents to keep doors and windows closed and locked when a home is unoccupied, bring pets inside at night, remove bird feeders from the yard, and block access to potential den sites such as crawl spaces under decks.
Cubs Should Be Left Alone
The National Park Service advises people to keep their distance from bears, avoid surprising them, stay calm during an encounter, and move away slowly when possible.
NPS also says people should be especially cautious around a female bear with cubs and should never place themselves between a mother and her young.