Do’s And Don’ts When Faced With A Bear

A bear was spotted roaming Placerita Canyon Road this week. While the bear made no advances toward anyone, that’s not to say a bear won’t attack in the future.

A resident captures the moment a Black Bear crosses the street near Placerita Canyon Road.
Courtesy of August Hagman

With summer in full swing animals have been back roaming Santa Clarita for some time now, but do you know what to do if you encounter a bear?

If you are oblivious to what to do when a bear comes your way, don’t worry because here are a few tips on what to do when faced with a bear.

The Department of Parks and Recreation has these tips for residents, campers and hikers who encounter the Southern California native Black Bear.

In the campground: Do not run. Do not make aggressive moves toward the bear. Stand tall and make noise to scare the bear away. Loudly bang pots and pans together and shout, “Go, Bear, Go”!

In the woods: This is the bear’s home. Respect that, and do not run. Pick up small children. Make yourself appear as large as possible. Stay calm, quiet and slowly back away. If the bear approaches you, make noise and yell, “Go, Bear, Go”!

While it’s important to know what to do during a bear encounter, it is equally important to understand how not to attract a bear.

When not in use, put perishable goods, scented items and trash in lockers designed to withstand bears.

Examples of scented items include:

• Food
• Drinks
• Pet Food
• Perfume
• Deodorant
• Cosmetics
• Sunscreen
• Hair Products
• Bug Repellent
• Grease

• Soap
• Wipes
• First Aid Items
• Hand sanitizer
• Lip Balm
• Essential Oils
• Medications
• Vitamins
• Lotion
• Toothpaste

When storing anything in a food storage locker, it is important to make sure it is properly closed, no matter how much or little is inside.

After a day of cooking, it is smart to change clothes so that the smell of food does not linger and attract a bear. Finally, make sure that trash is disposed of in a bear-resistant container.

As previously mentioned, only the Black Bear is native to Southern California, but knowing about them can still be helpful.

Black Bear facts, according to the Department of Parks and Recreation :

• Adults weigh between 100 to 400 pounds and are four to six feet tall from nose to tail. A healthy bear runs up to 30 miles per hour for short distances.
• Black bears are omnivorous, opportunistic eaters. Eating is their favorite hobby. A bear’s diet consists of berries, plants, nuts, roots, honey, insects, carrion and small mammals.
• Black bears are great at climbing and swimming. They have a fantastic sense of smell – they can smell 100 times better than you.
• Not all black bears are black. They come in a variety of colors, like cinnamon and blonde.
• Black bears love to eat and quickly become addicted to human food and garbage. When this happens, bears can become destructive and aggressive. This behavior is dangerous and may lead to a bear’s death.

For tips on how to deal with mountain lions, click here .

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