Bears!

[SkierBob]

[SkierBob]

The community of Mammoth Lakes continues with its wish to live and let live when it comes to bears.  The particular flash point for that philosophy this season is Blondie the Bear, a year-old female who freely enters homes for food.  Sacramento officials have now entered the fray.

At last week's Mammoth Town Council meeting, Chief Randy Schienle and Wildlife Officer Steve Searles let the Council know that Blondie continued to break into kitchens around town.  Searles said residents are willingly locking their windows and doors to keep Blondie out, but now the bear, he said, has begun to break through closed windows and doors.  So have other bears around town. 

Recognizing the potential for public safety problems, Searles and Chief Schienle have tried to get depredation permits to shoot Blondie.  The Department of Fish and Game won't allow government agencies to get these permits.

Citizens have called on highly placed DFG officials to come to the aid of the town.  Mono State Senator Dave Cox has even come into the picture.  So has Congressman Buck McKeon and the Los Angeles Times.

Politically speaking, no one wants to shoot Blondie and take on the villainous reputation of the one who destroyed Mammoth's favorite bear. 

Bear re-location is out of the question, according to DFG, and a citizen's plan to ship Blondie to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado seems like a dim possibility.

So, for Blondie and the Town of Mammoth, it's a one day at a time affair.



http://www.ksrw.sierrawave.net/eastern-sierra-news/2377-blondie-the-bear-becomes-symbol-of-mammoths-wildlife-philosophy

[lagomorphmom]

I know we can't save them all, but since she's this clever, she'd be very trainable as, for instance, a great spokes-bear for humans keeping their things bear tight.

I know PETA would prefer her dead than in captivity, but in a stimulating environment, I don't think it's so bad. If you ever happen to see the production where Jennifer Aniston visits with Bart the Bear, his sister and their trainers, you'll be simply awed by the relationship they have. I don't remember if it was on NatGeo or Discovery, but you could probably find it. It's very heartwarming.

[Naughty pines]

http://www.vitalground.org/content.php?page=442.html

Various videos of Bart the Bear.

[lagomorphmom]

Yes, NP! Great links. I guess the special we saw was on Animal Planet. Bart (II) and Honey-Bump were orphaned as cubs and Doug made the leap to commit himself to them for the rest of his/their lives.

[SkierBob]

OURAY, Colo. -- An autopsy showed a 74-year-old Ouray County woman whose body was found being eaten by a bear was attacked and killed by that same bear after she attempted to help a smaller bear that had been hurt in a fight.

The son-in-law of Donna Munson told 7NEWS that Munson was trying to help a smaller bear that had gotten into a fight with an older bear on Aug 7. The smaller bear suffered broken teeth in the brawl, Munson told her family.

Munson told her brother by telephone that she was putting out hard-boiled eggs and milk for the younger bear to eat, said the victim's son-in-law, Bruce Miln

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/20348401/detail.html#

[lagomorphmom]

Bart (II) and Honey-Bump were orphaned as cubs and Doug made the leap to commit himself to them for the rest of his/their lives.

....I didn't think Blondie could ever be trusted this much, but maybe at 1, she is too old for training and it's not an option?

[SkierBob]

Juvenile bear may have to be euthanized if it doesn't stop foraging in picnic areas; Harvard study predicts more wildfires and worse air quality across the West; Army seeks to move desert tortoises
August 12, 2009


When a bear decides it's a fine idea to hop aloft a picnic table surrounded by people, something clearly has gone wrong. But officials say the bear is not to blame.

In fact, the bear that forced the closure of a picnic area next to San Bernardino National Forest's busiest trailhead on July 7 had adapted to a quick and easy food source: hot dogs and other human fare left out, sometimes intentionally, by picnickers and area residents

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-greenspace12-2009aug12,0,3019295.story

[SkierBob]

In their own ways, residents, officials and law enforcement brace for what may come on the bear scene in Mammoth Lakes.

Wildlife Officer Steve Searles planned to update the Town Council on bear activity.  The story remained mostly the same - the bear known as Blondie continues to break into kitchens and other bears do the same and more.  Police and Searles can not get permission to shoot bears.  Only private citizens can do that.  Mayor Neil McCarroll, as a citizen, did get such a permit. 

McCarroll said Blondie has broken into his house as many as a dozen times.  In fact, she started her burglary habits in McCarroll's and others' homes last year.  McCarroll said he felt he should show some leadership and get the permit.  He also advised against personal names for bears.  "They are wild animals," he said, "and I'm very worried about that."

McCarroll did say he felt if Searles had been able to use his aversion techniques over the last two years, perhaps the bear behavior in Mammoth would be more controlled.

The Mayor said that the Town and citizens would document Searles methods and the results to try to convince Fish and Game to work with them.  "This will take several years," said McCarroll,"but we're going in the right direction."

Searles, internationally known for his simpatico abilities with bears, also makes a strong point that peoples' safety comes first.  He verified that a second-homeowner in Mammoth hired someone to put out dog food for bears.  Searles and others consider this a dangerous mistake for people and bears - encouraging the bears to come to humans' homes for their food.  The man hired to do the feeding was issued a ticket.  Ironically, the woman who hired him is reportedly an official of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
http://www.ksrw.sierrawave.net/eastern-sierra-news/2411-mammoths-bears-still-troublesome

[capn mom]

Another bear visit at 415am on Partridge x Pine.  He managed to knock the trash can over to pop the lock... AGAIN!  This guy is getting pretty big and very clever.

[Stitches]

I wonder if it's the same bear that came over last week.   I don't have a bear proof can but I strap mine to a sturdy tree and also strap the lid closed.   He tried to knock the can over-couldn't do it and then he tried to pry the lid open - couldn't do it.  He finally gave up and went away after my husband turned on the porch light.

Oh, he did get some of his fur caught on the lid of the can so if it's DNA evidence we need, I have that.

[makgirl]

Stitches-

For the bear's convenience, you should get a bear proof CR&R trash can.  This will make it easier for him to get his late night/early morning snack!  

[Stitches]

Two days ago I went shopping for groceries.   The kids were helping me bring in the bags.   One of them got distracted and left one bag outside on the stairs.   It had a pineapple and a bunch of bananas in it.   I found them on the proch in the morning.   Now THAT would have been a delicious treat for the bear but he was busy visiting someone else.

When CR&R distributed the bear cans many years ago, I watched them bring in new ones to my neighbors and saw they were swapping them out on trash day.    It appeared that the new bear proof cans were smaller than the plastic cans.   I have a family of seven and fill every inch of our cans, so as soon as they emptied the old can I'd bring it inside a covered area so CR&R couldn't replace the cans.   I've been happy with my plastic cans for many many years.    After stories of broken latches and cans that were too full to latch, I'm happy with what I have.

[Nolena]

Since reading this thread, I consistently keep my cans in the garage until the morning of trash day. Being able to do that, I've had no problems.

[Keltnip]

The bear has been to Twin Lakes @ Ceader & Pine  twice this week. Found the 50# bag of dog chow I forgot in the back of my pick-up. Neatly opened the bag, had a meal, left the rest for the dogs. Slobbered on my truck. Last night came by, but didn't find anything. My wife went out and had a look from the deck. Said he looked like a bear beach ball. Either its going to be a long winter or we are easy pickings.

[ChrisLynnet]

The bear has been to Twin Lakes @ Ceader & Pine  twice this week. Found the 50# bag of dog chow I forgot in the back of my pick-up. Neatly opened the bag, had a meal, left the rest for the dogs. Slobbered on my truck. Last night came by, but didn't find anything. My wife went out and had a look from the deck. Said he looked like a bear beach ball. Either its going to be a long winter or we are easy pickings.

LOL! Great comment and obviously one happy bear!

[RobertW]

Archery hunters came by The Big Pines Station yesterday with a 270 lb female bear they had killed.  It appears to be the bear that has been causing problems and raiding campgrounds in the South Fork area of Big Rock Creek.  It was killed with a single arrow on Friday night.

It's paw was twice the size of my hand.  I won't post a picture as it may prove disturbing to others like myself who'd rather see a live bear than a dead bear.

[Wrightwood]

These seems to fit in the bear topic:

http://www.flixxy.com/bear-animal-nature-film.htm

[Surfer_Dude]

These seems to fit in the bear topic:

http://www.flixxy.com/bear-animal-nature-film.htm

Loved this film!

[ChrisLynnet]

Gorgeous, and incredibly touching. I nearly died when the cougar attacked since I didn't know what would happen.