LITTLEROCK – The young male bear that made headlines last week for wandering through a Baldwin Park neighborhood was found dead just outside the front door of a Littlerock home this morning, authorities said.
Officials received the call around 11 a.m. from a home near East Avenue U-5 and 86th Street East in Littlerock.
A man inside the home told deputies that one of his neighbors called him and told him there was a bear on his front porch. “I looked out the window and I seen it and I called the cops,” the man said.
Fish and Wildlife officials soon responded to the scene.
“One of our very experienced game wardens went out there and after investigating it and making sure that it wasn’t a danger, they approached the bear and they realized that it was dead… with injuries consistent with an automobile crash,” said Andrew Hughan of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It could have happened at any time over the last 12 hours. Bears are unbelievably strong, and even if it was hit by a car, it tried to get itself somewhere off the road and ended up on this porch and died.”
Hughan said the department was familiar with the bear, having had a previous encounter just last week.
“This is a 275-pound, 3-year-old male bear,” he said. “This is the same bear that was down in Baldwin Park Friday morning that we captured.”
After authorities spotted the bear roaming around a Baldwin Park neighborhood early Friday morning (Oct. 11), the bear was tranquilized, loaded into a pickup truck and released deep into the Angeles National Forest, according to the LA Times.
“It took off from where we released it and was looking for food, and unfortunately, probably wandered out onto the road,” Hughan said. “It’s always sad when a bear gets killed like this, especially a good-sized bear who was essentially a teenager… It’s sad for all of us.”
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has published tips for respecting and protecting wild animals. For more information, visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/bear.html.
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Caring says
Another hit and run victim.
This large animal had to have damaged the vehicle that hit it.
Stop hitting and running folks, take responsibility for your actions, even if it was ‘just’ an animal that ran in front of your vehicle. Stop being cowardly.
Jason says
How many people are going to stop when they hit a bear? Especially one thats nearly 300 lbs?
Yo Mama says
That gets up & runs!! Brilliant…
Gerry says
The caption for the picture should be corrected if the story is right. Baldwin Hills and Baldwin Park are not the same place or even near each other.
The AV Times Staff says
You are right. We made the correction. Thanks for the catch!
Cheri says
So sad! He was just trying to survive.
dumbandblind says
If this bear was captured in Baldwin Park Friday morning how did he end up 81 miles away in just four days?
KayDee says
He was put back in Angeles Forest and came back out. Poor baby bear just needed some food. :(
Eyes Wide Shut says
So sad. :'(
sikntired says
Just trying to get enough food to hibernate, damn that’s sad.