Bear sightings in Sierra Madre have increased in recent years, and city officials say they want the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to change its approach to dealing with the wild animals in the foothill community.
When residents in Sierra Madre report a bear on their property, the Sierra Madre Police Department has to contact the Department of Fish and Wildlife to respond to the incident, unless there is an immediate threat to a human.
Sierra Madre police responded to 130 calls about black bears making their way into residential areas in 2022, Capt. Henry Amos said Tuesday at a City Council meeting. He said those calls included 17 incidents in which bears entered homes and caused property damage.
