Bear blessings

When wildfire comes, people watch the news, sniff the wind and listen for sounds of distant sirens. Such awareness is never in vain.

Interestingly though, we are not on the alert for other forces of nature that may encroach upon us from distant mountains, like, for instance, black bears (Ursus americanus).

I began thinking about bears when speaking to Chumash medicine woman Cecilia Garcia. We spoke of the bear's characteristic of work and rest. They will gorge on insects in the spring and binge on acorns and manzanita berries in the fall, but come winter the bear allows itself time to relax.

Really we were speaking of being present to blessings and taking advantage of them when they are there.

After that conversation, I thought about bears historically in the Santa Monica Mountains and wondered, where they are now? Although bears once thrived here, they were not black bears; they were grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis).

Black bears were thought to be excluded or limited from the region by the grizzly. But after extinction of the California grizzly, brought on by deliberate hunting, black bears began to migrate into unoccupied areas, especially Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

In the 1930s, black bears were purposely brought to Southern California by the Department of Fish and Game in order to supplement the existing population for hunting. It is believed that the current Southern California population is partially descended from these transplants.

Within California, although all the same species, black bears are separated into three subpopulations. While not restricted by physical barriers, the subpopulations are differentiated because of varying water availability and vegetation.

Ventura and Los Angeles counties and the northwest city limits share the central Western/Southwestern subpopulation region, which extends south and east from Santa Cruz County to San Diego County. Although covering a large geographic area, it holds less than 10 percent of the statewide population, most of which are restricted to the central coast and the transverse mountain ranges, of which we are part.

The bear density here is probably less than one-quarter bear for every square mile. This is in contrast to more concentrated areas with a density of one to 2½ bears per square mile.

Identifying these bears is not too difficult. These large mammals are 5 to 6 feet long from head to tail and grow to a shoulder height of 2½ to 3 feet. When standing on their hind legs, they reach up to 7 feet.

Males tend to be 33 percent larger than females and in California weigh between 150 and 350 pounds, in contrast to the 100- to 200-pound females. The largest male recorded in California weighed more than 600 pounds.

Their coat color varies dramatically but is usually a dark brown to black with a lighter brown muzzle. Occasionally there will be a white triangular patch on their chests.

Bear tracks are large and distinctive, often showing five toes and well-developed claws. Their claws are adapted for tearing plant material to reach hidden insects as well as for climbing.

Black bears are omnivorous and apex predators, meaning that they are at the top of the food chain and not normally hunted; as such they are essential for keeping a wellbalanced ecosystem. In addition to insects, bears eat a variety of plant matter, nut crops, honey, bee larvae and, occasionally, fawns.

With smell being their dominant sense, they are able to find food from enormous distances, which is why many are drawn to human sites.

In the neighborhood

Given the low densities in Southern California how likely is it that black bears will leave the wilds and head toward suburbia?

Speculation is tough, but bear populations are increasing in California despite the disturbance of habitat. Their numbers have risen from between 10,000 and 15,000 in 1982 to their currently estimated number of 25,000 to 30,000.

In May of 2004 a black bear was reported wandering in Agoura Hills. Once tranquilized, the 2yearold male was returned to the outreaches of the Santa Susana Mountains. In 2005 a black bear went for a swim in a backyard pool in Porter Ranch. This bear was also returned to the Santa Susanas.

So, while not on high alert for bears as we are with fire, it is important to recognize the nature of the bear. Most notably, we must remember who our neighbors are, what motivates them and what we can learn from them.

While we may neglect our swimming pools and trash dumps, bears see them as blessings.

E-mail Meghan Walla-Murphy at mwallamurphy @yahoo.com.