California
Editorial: For California towns with a bear problem, using dogs to hunt is no solution
California’s black bears are clever, resourceful and opportunistic. They eat anything and everything — fruits, nuts, insects, human food and pet food. They love bird feeders. They poach mountain lion kills — such as deer — that they find. It’s called kleptoparasitism. They can use their bottom teeth to work open an unlocked car door. If they find a way into your house and kitchen, they can open jars of peanut butter and jam and, of course, honey.
They are the only bear species in the state, and, despite the name, their fur ranges in color from blond to black. It’s been a century since the grizzly bear was hunted to extinction in California, leaving only its image, ironically, on the state flag.
Estimating black bears’ numbers is a fraught exercise. In its draft Black Bear Conservation Plan, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates — using new methodology — the population at about 65,000 and says it has been stable for a decade. (For years, the department had estimated the population at 35,000 using less advanced statistical modeling.) Wildlife strategist Wendy Keefover of the group Humane World for Animals — formerly the Humane Society of the United States — argues that number is simply a guess, and she cautions against putting too much emphasis on it because apex predators such as bears are sparsely populated and reproduce slowly.
Whatever has happened with the bear population, we know for sure that reports of bear-human interactions have gone up. According to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, reports have been increasing for decades — not due to more bears but to more people living and vacationing in bear territory. There were an average 674 reports annually from 2017 to 2020, but that shot up to 1,678 per year during 2021 and 2022. The Lake Tahoe Basin and the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains were particular hot spots.
California Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas), whose district includes one of those hot spots, has introduced Assembly Bill 1038, which would allow hunters to haze bears — but not kill them — by having dogs chase them. Hounding of bears by hunters during bear hunting season was outlawed by the Legislature in 2012 and shouldn’t come back even if hunters don’t intend to kill the bears.
As in 2012, it remains cruel to bears, who end up exhausted and clinging to a tree. Dogs and bears may fight. And it’s unclear how chasing a random bear, perhaps in a forest, is going to discourage it from foraging for food around humans. (The Department of Fish and Wildlife already allows, in limited situations, particularly problematic bears in communities or near livestock to be hazed by dogs.)
Another part of Hadwick’s bill would authorize the Fish and Game Commission to decide whether hunters could use hounds once more to hunt and kill bears. The Legislature already banned this practice, and relinquishing its power over that ban to an appointed commission makes no sense.
Although this bill’s proposals are not helpful, bear-human encounters are dangerous and should be minimized. There’s a better way to do that. The department and animal welfare advocates strongly urge Californians to find ways to make homes, cars, campsites and farms unattractive to bears. There are numerous suggestions. Bears love smelly food. Don’t leave any food outside. Use trash cans with bear-proof latches. Take all food out of your car and then lock the car doors. On doorsteps, put down mats that cause a mild electric shock when a bear steps on them; they’re called “unwelcome mats.” Crawlspaces under decks should be secured. Remove bird feeders from your yard.
Livestock should be kept in secure pens at night. Electric fencing can be installed around chicken coops and enclosures. And for bears that keep snooping around houses or livestock, there are ways of hazing that don’t involve dogs chasing them. Motion-activated lights, noise makers and alarms can scare bears away.
And don’t feed them. In fact, it’s prohibited in the state of California. But Ann Bryant, executive director and a founder of the Bear League in the Tahoe Basin, says some vacationers do it anyway, putting food outside wherever they are staying in hopes of luring a bear and then snapping a picture. It works — and then the bear comes back expecting more food. That’s when Bryant, whose organization’s volunteers help people live more harmoniously with bears, gets a call from someone wanting to know how to make the bear stop coming around.
Bryant’s advice is simple and straightforward: Stop putting out food, and if the bear shows up again, “You stomp your feet and yell, ‘Get outta here!’ You’re taking away his confidence that people are going to be nice and feed them. You have to let the bear know the party’s over.”
So with all these methods, why do bears keep coming around? “These methods do work,” says Fish and Wildlife spokesman Peter Tira. They just need to be more widely adopted: “The key is ongoing education and awareness, forming good habits, reaching both residents and visitors to bear country.”
It will be up to the department to more aggressively get the message out. But here’s some advice that tourists should remember, says Bryant: “Think always in the back of your mind, ‘I’m in bear country.’”
Long Beach city officials have confirmed California’s first human case of West Nile virus in 2026.
In a news release shared Friday, the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said that the person was hospitalized with “neuroinvasive illness” and has since been recovering at home.
“While there have been WNV positive mosquito detections in California, including in Long Beach, this is the first symptomatic case reported in California for the 2026 season,” the release said.
Health officials said that West Nile virus typically spreads through the bite of an infected Culex mosquito. While most people who get infected with WNV have no symptoms, one in 150 may develop more serious illnesses like brain inflammation, paralysis or death. Typical symptoms include fever, rash, body aches, headache, nausea and vomiting.
They advised anyone exhibiting such symptoms to seek immediate medical care.
“The risk of WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases increases during hot weather, typically from June to October,” officials said. “People who are over 55 years old or have chronic health conditions are at higher risk for severe illness.”
Acting Long Beach City Health Officer Dr. Cliff Okada urged residents to take several precautions to prevent infection, including:
- using insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites
- wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants if spending time outdoors during dawn or dusk
- install or repair window screens
- remove standing water around their homes
- report increased mosquito activity so health officials can take action
People seeking further information or who wish to know more about how to protect themselves from mosquito bites was asked to contact the city’s mosquito hotline at 562-570-4132.
Health officials said the risk of West Nile virus and other mosquito-
borne diseases increases during hot weather, typically from June to October.
WNV spreads through the bite of an infected Culex mosquito.
Symptoms of may include fever, body aches, rash, nausea, vomiting and
headaches. Most people infected have no symptoms; approximately one in 150 may
develop more serious disease, such as brain inflammation, paralysis or death.
Those who are over 55 years old or have chronic health conditions are
at higher risk for severe illness. People with these symptoms should seek
immediate medical care.
There is no vaccine or treatment for West Nile virus.
Acting City Health Officer Dr. Cliff Okada urged residents to take the
following precautions:
— Dump and drain standing water around your home.
— Prevent mosquito bites by applying insect repellent with EPA-
registered active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or lemon
eucalyptus before going outside.
— Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants if spending time outside
during dawn and dusk.
— Install or repair door and window screens.
Additional information about mosquito prevention and West Nile virus
is available at longbeach.gov/mosquitoes.
California GOP delegates Roxanne Hoge and Elizabeth Barcohana join Trace Gallagher to discuss multiple issues impacting California.
California GOP delegates Roxanne Hoge and Elizabeth Barcohana dissect the state’s pressing issues with Trace Gallagher. They criticize the SF Giants’ ‘Pride Night’ controversy and players’ right to religious expression. The delegates also discuss Los Angeles’s economic decline and Sacramento’s expensive homeless campsite, highlighting concerns about over-regulation and social issues. They conclude by addressing California’s large-scale Medicaid fraud, suggesting a lack of accountability.
Oakdale’s first Pride event is moving forward this weekend after organizers changed venues following pushback over its original location and a planned drag performance.
Some residents pushed back over the event’s original location at Dorada Park and a planned drag performance.
“I also understand staff has issued a permit for a so-called Pride event,” one speaker said during the latest City Council meeting.
Another speaker raised concerns about the event being advertised as open to all ages, including children, and having a drag queen host.
After the public pushback, organizers moved the event indoors to the Bianchi Center.
“It was a huge upgrade to be able to provide a more accessible space in the heart of Oakdale,” said Ryan Hall, president of CalPride.
Hall said the idea to bring Pride to the city did not come from outside Oakdale, it came from people living there.
“That’s my place as a mom of rainbow kids, absolutely,” said Elizabeth May, owner of Sisters Coffee.
May’s coffee shop hosts a monthly LGBTQ+ social.
“I had a young man walk in here and say, ‘We don’t have anywhere to have a social here for LGBTQ.’ I said, ‘Heck yes,’” May said.
Still, the backlash has left parents like May concerned.
“How does it feel? Scary. I’m excited, but as a mom of a kid in the community, I’m nervous for them,” May said.
May said the venue change helped ease some of the tension.
“The different venue made a win-win situation for everyone. I was very proud of the kids for making that hard decision,” May said.
For organizers, the drag performance is part of the celebration.
“Enjoy some line dancing, enjoy some live music, enjoy the drag show, and then also enjoy community members and our local businesses, our local artists and partner organizations,” Hall said.
Oakdale Pride is scheduled for Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Entry is free.
-
Lifestyle49 minutes agoSunday Puzzle: That’s HOT!
-
Technology59 minutes agoThe Cube is Jim Henson’s little-known proto-Black Mirror masterpiece
-
World1 hour ago33 rescued from Venezuelan rubble: Survival window desperately fading with nearly 50,000 missing
-
Politics1 hour agoWATCH: Biden appears confused about where to exit stage after Democratic gala remarks
-
Health1 hour agoCould ‘humanmaxxing’ actually help you live longer? Here’s what experts say
-
Sports1 hour agoWWE NXT The Great American Bash 2026 preview, predictions and more
-
Technology1 hour agoFBI warns Microsoft users about passwordless scam
-
Business1 hour agoSwipeless online dating? How AI is reshaping the search for love
