A Solitary Bear Is Charming Californians All Over the State

Every few years, a wild animal captures the hearts and social media feeds of people all over California. Often, this involves a mountain lion — which in turn inspired an absurdist yet compelling work of fiction — and this year, apparently, it’s bears’ turn. As Grace Toohey of the Los Angeles Times reports, a female black bear has been making its way across the state in recent months.

The latest sighting of the bear came near Encino, where — as Toohey writes — a security camera recorded footage of her. Authorities believe that this is the same bear who appeared in Chatsworth over the summer and was tranquilized by wildlife management officials. At the time, they gave the bear the designation “Yellow 2291.”

NBC’s Jonathan Lloyd chronicled the bear’s adventures in Chatsworth in July, which included climbing a tree in a business park and being tranquilized by wildlife management officials, who had previously tried to capture her in nearby Northridge. She was subsequently released in the Angeles Nation Forest.

“We’ve had two trips from her going in and out of the Santa Monicas,” Jessica West of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told the Los Angeles Times.

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When a different bear showed up in the vicinity of San Vicente Mountain Park, the Angeles Nation Forest offered residents some good advice. “For the bears [sic] safety and your own, as well as all local wildlife, please be aware of your surroundings while hiking, driving, and walking your dog, or if you let your pet roam free in your yard,” the agency wrote on Instagram. Watching bears on social media might bring you closer to nature. Watching bears up close in real life, though, could be hazardous to your health.