A California couple had an unwelcome guest in their home in the middle of the night!
Nicole and Larry Collum were startled awake at 2 a.m. by their home’s security camera, which showed a large black bear in their garage. The bear had entered through the garage door that had accidentally been left open, attracted by the scent of garbage inside.
“It was huge! That bear was very big,” Nicole Collum said. “It was very alarming, but it was beautiful to look at.”
The couple had seen bears in their town before but had never experienced one so close to home.
“He definitely could have done some damage, and he definitely wasn’t afraid of me,” Larry Collum said. “A bear that size could and would easily shred me to get to that trash can.”
According to the Bear League, an organization that focuses on bear conservation and protection, encounters with bears are becoming more common in California’s mountain and foothill communities.
“There is not a day that goes by that the Bear League doesn’t receive a call about, ‘I’ve got a bear under my deck,’ or ‘I’ve got a bear under my house,’” Ann Bryant with the Bear League said.
The issue is being worsened by the weather conditions this year, according to wildlife officials. With the higher elevations still blanketed in snow, the bears are being driven down the hill in search of fresh vegetation. Consequently, these animals are moving closer to residential neighborhoods, seeking something to eat.
Wildlife officials warn that feeding bears or leaving out garbage, pet food, or anything else that might attract animals is dangerous for both humans and wildlife.
As such, they urge people to take measures to discourage bears from approaching their homes and to report any sightings to local wildlife officials.
Listen to the interview video below with both Nicole and Larry Collum to hear them explain how everything went down.