Watch bear roam across Loomis patio. It killed at least 13 chickens, resident says
A bear was seen roaming around residential areas in Loomis, killing livestock and disturbing neighbors.
Last Tuesday night, Loomis resident Jon LaPray was watching the Olympics when he got a notification from his camera. He caught surveillance video of the bear, which was “traversing back and forth” around his patio.
He grabbed his wife, and they looked outside the windows. When LaPray’s “pretty good-sized dogs” started barking, the bear didn’t even react or run away, he said.
“It’s just a funny bear story,” LaPray said on Monday afternoon. “I was hoping it would jump in the pool, honestly.”
He said he saw the bear on two different nights. It also killed his chickens. LaPray had 13, but now, none remain.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife received reports of the bear roaming on Junewood Lane, off Auburn Folsom Road. California is home to only one species of bear — black bears, which have multiple coat colors, like black, brown, cinnamon and even blonde.
“We have stable — if not growing — populations of black bears in California, and we are seeing these bears expand their range to new parts of California where we have not seen them in many, many years, if at all,” said Peter Tira,a department spokesperson, in an email.
Though it was LaPray’s first experience with a bear, he said the presence of bears is known throughout the community.
Bears are drawn to lower-elevation areas due to easy access to food sources, like chickens, animal feed, livestock, garbage, Tira said.
The department of fish and wildlife recommends neighbors use hot wire or electric wire around chicken coops. Residents can keep livestock in a structure at night to protect them from attacks, like coyotes, mountain lions and raccoons.
“I built a pretty good fortress [for my chickens], but … I never considered bears coming in,” LaPray said. “If we get chickens again, which we probably will, we’ll do a little more fortification.”
If there are signs of nearby bear activity, residents should secure trash, so bears cannot access it. For example, residents don’t need to put out trash bins until the morning of collection.
Tira reassured that “there is nothing about this bear’s behavior that makes it a public safety concern.”
“We were on the other side of the glass,” LaPray said. “I had the urge to open the door and pet it.”
