Bear Enters Southern California Classroom

A bear enters a Southern California school classroom with teacher still inside.Photo byphoto by Ian Sawrey

A classroom 90 miles north of Los Angeles had an unwanted guest enter their school and take some food. That guest was a bear.

In Pine Mountain Club, California, teacher Elaine Salmon was making copies Monday, and as she looked up, she saw a bear enter the classroom. With its keen sense of smell, it went into the earthquake survival kids for the kids that had granola bars in them and had a nice treat.

Ironically, Salmon is married to Ian Sawrey, who owns Mountain Bearriers, which is a local company that specializes in bear deterrents. Salmon's phone was in the classroom, and she could not get to it, so she ran out of the room and called from another phone. Sawrey came quickly and removed the bear without incident or injury. Sawrey is also a retired police officer and a military veteran.

Bear sightings have made the news often in Southern California, and these are the stories that don't make the news. The bears seem more aggressive and have been seen breaking through windows and entering homes and dwellings, even though they know humans are in the area. Most bears being seen are black bears who rarely attack people.

There have been several that wander around in the streets and also in areas of population. Most locals are respectful of the bears and have learned to co-exist with them, but some are seen feeding the bears, and others try to take selfies close to them. Experts warn that these animals are very unpredictable and dangerous and that people should leave them alone.

In June, in Sierra Madre, California, a bear walks into someone's kitchen looking for food.

Wildlife experts have admitted that there are more bear sightings in Southern California. Experts also say they don't hibernate in winter due to the warm weather.

Cities have reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, but many feel that they are slow to respond and aren't doing enough to protect people from bears.

Last year in Downieville, California, the first reported death by a black bear attack was recorded for the state of California. For 3 months, a bear stalked 71-year-old Patrice Miller as she told people that the bear had tried to come into her home. Upon her passing, authorities saw that the bear had broken into her bedroom through a window with bars.