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ENCINO, LOS ANGELES () — There’s been a growing number of wild animal encounters reported across Southern California — and they are happening in some unexpected places. Wildlife Experts say the region’s extreme heat wave may be contributing to the encounters.
A large bear was recorded walking along Hayvenhurst Avenue near Escalon Drive in Encino on Saturday night.
“Oh, my God! That is walking through the neighborhood,” Jamie said as she recorded the rare sight.
Jamie, an Encino resident, said she was stunned by the encounter.
“I was kind of freaking out because I’ve never seen a bear in my entire life. Especially, I didn’t think my first encounter would be… adjacent to my neighborhood,” she said.
It was not Jamie’s first notable encounter with Southern California wildlife.
“It was actually my second time seeing a crazy animal in California,” she said. “In 2015, I saw P-22 outside of my house actually.”
In Jamie’s video, the famous, wild mountain lion can be seen lounging by the house.
“Oh, my God. That is not a prop, people,” Jamie said in the 2015 video.
Other SoCal residents reported similar sightings over the weekend and on Monday.
In Altadena, residents spotted a bear roaming in front of a home on Saturday. Early Monday morning, video from Tarzana showed a black bear and two coyotes crossing a man’s driveway.
READ MORE: Bear and 2 coyotes cross paths in Tarzana, with larger coyote appearing to defend smaller one
A homeowner’s Ring camera captured a rare wildlife encounter in Tarzana, showing a bear crossing paths with two coyotes.
“I’ve lived here 41 years. I’ve never seen a bear, seen plenty of coyotes,” Tarzana resident Richard Hurwitz said. “Then as I watched it a bit more, I could see that there was an interaction between the coyotes and the bear.”
Cort Klopping with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said sightings tend to increase at this time of year when temperatures soar.
“This is often a time of year where we see a spike in sightings,” Klopping said. “Especially hot temperatures contribute; bears are going to be out seeking easy sources of water, shelter, shade and as well as easy sources of calories.”
Fish and wildlife experts reminded residents that feeding wildlife is illegal. Officials said people should not leave food or water outside for wild animals.
Residents should also remove possible animal attractants from their properties. That includes securing garbage cans, clearing fallen fruit and pet food, and closing off crawl spaces and areas beneath decks.
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