Well-known bear in La Cañada-Flintridge comes to a sad end

Bear 162, a black bear that mostly frequented La Cañada-Flintridge (our Morning Edition host Susanne Whatley regularly saw her), as well as Altadena and Pasadena, has been euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

The backstory

CDFW officials had relocated Bear 162 to the Angeles National Forest twice in recent years given her habit of frequenting the unsecured trash cans and plethora of bird feeders in foothill neighborhoods, but she quickly returned. The call was made to euthanize the bear after she got into eight homes last month and local residents expressed their alarm.

“The decision to euthanize the bear was made by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to protect the public, due to the history of this bear being involved in conflicts with people, and the escalating and potentially dangerous home entry activity,” the agency wrote in a statement to LAist.

The agency could not confirm to LAist how the bear got in the house in each instance, but a La Cañada-Flintridge city spokesperson said in most cases when bears enter homes there, it’s through unlocked or open doors, windows or garages.

The decision to euthanize is determined on a case-by-case basis, according to the CDFW’s Black Bear Policy.

“Unfortunately, some bears have been raised to get food and water from nearby communities. Breaking those habits can be very difficult. It’s why we push so hard in our messaging that people understand the entire community needs to be on the same page when it comes to reducing wildlife attractants,” said Tim Daly, a spokesperson for the department in an email.

A frequent visitor, suddenly gone

Christina Shakarian originally was scared of Bear 162 roaming her neighborhood in La Cañada-Flintridge, but over the last four years she came to love watching the bear. Even when she wasn’t the most polite neighbor.

“She did poop on our lawn and stick her claws in my furniture, and swim in my pool … and destroy a very expensive cake, but other than that, she did not harm us in any way,” Shakarian said.

A year ago, she caught Bear 162 redhanded with a face full of birthday cake she got out of their garage freezer. Then her little dog Pawsy shot out of the house and chased the bear down the road.

“We finally hear my dog and this bear, sweet bear, was hiding behind a tree, literally like Yogi bear looking at my dog,” Shakarian described with a chuckle.

She said hearing the news of Bear 162 being euthanized has been jarring.

“It's a wild animal and it scared people, so what can you say?” Shakarian said. “I feel like there could have been an alternative. We found out we couldn't believe it … everyone would talk about it, you know, 'how's your bear?' And I posted a lot about the bear and it was such a part of our lives. And it's just sad that it's over. Sad for her, obviously, more than anything else.”

Tips to keep bears and people safe

Securing trash, being sure to close and lock windows and doors and removing bird feeders are the most common recommendations by experts to reduce how much black bears are attracted to your property.

Black bears are showing up more often in foothill communities, with some of them having learned to scavenge for food over generations, so it will likely take time to break the cycle of habituated bears. Experts say that can be achieved through persistent effort by communities to reduce attractants.

• How to handle a bear in your backyard
• Wildlife coexistence resources from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Tips from La Cañada-Flintridge