After purchasing their dream home in Southern California a few years ago, Brian Gordon and Ricardo Martinez couldn’t wait to move in. They loved the community, nestled alongside the Angeles National Forest, and all the wildlife that inhabited it — but one animal species worried them.
Shortly before the move, Brian and Ricardo spotted a family of American black bears walking through their yard. The couple shared a lifelong fear of bears, but they agreed that seeing them from a distance once in a while wouldn’t be too bad.
“The sighting was more a casual thought that we’d probably see a bear in the neighborhood every now and then,” Brian told The Dodo. “We didn’t realize how much bear activity we’d get until we moved into the home.”
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At first, Brian and Ricardo’s home remained bear-free, just as they’d hoped. Then, they started to notice something peculiar about the items left outside, especially by the pool.
“We initially noticed a few randomly deflated floaties but didn’t put things together until we witnessed a bear casually enter the pool area and go for a swim one day,” Brian said.
You can see the bear take a dip in the pool here:
While the bear enjoyed a refreshing swim in their pool, Brian and Ricardo bolted indoors and began looking up outdoor cameras for their yard.
“We were so scared we’d accidentally be outside and have a run-in with a bear, we decided to put cameras around the whole perimeter,” Brian said.
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Brian and Ricardo monitored the cameras religiously, hoping to avoid the bears at all costs. But in doing so, they realized that the bears weren’t interested at all in human interaction. They just wanted to familiarize themselves with the space during their brief five-minute visits.
“We realized the bears are usually just passing through but occasionally check the trash cans and take a swim when it’s hot,” Brian said.
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Once they understood the bears’ intentions, Brian and Ricardo were happy to share their yard and pool with their furry neighbors. They began naming the regular visitors, Maddie, Punky and Nappy, and could soon pick out their individual characteristics.
“Nappy loves to get in the pool and rest her head on the side, then nap. She’s the only bear I’ve ever seen sleep in the pool, thus her name, Nappy,” Brian said. “Punky is somewhat of a rambunctious, teenager-type bear who’s full of energy … and [Maddie’s] rather chill and sweet.”
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Despite their differences, the bears all have one thing in common: They love Brian and Ricardo’s pool, especially on hot summer days.
“They get in to cool off, maybe swim a few laps, pop a floatie if they’re feeling frisky, and they hop out and mosey along their day,” Brian said.
Watch a bear enjoy the pool here:
Usually, Brian and Ricardo can tell the bears apart just by how they act in the pool. Nappy, for example, will sleep in the pool for upwards of two hours — something no other bear has done yet. And Punky is known for her hilarious and absurd antics in the water.
“Punky [once] climbed on the cupcake float and floated in the pool,” Brian said. “It was just insane watching her gracefully climb onto the float and coast into the center of the pool.”
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Brian and Ricardo’s fear of the bears dwindled over time, and they’ve since accepted them as friendly neighbors. Still, they are respectful of the fact that the bears are wild and take many precautions to ensure everyone’s safety.
“Trash and any food is a HUGE, important no-no,” Brian said. “We don’t feed the bears, ever! We never leave trash [or food] outside … if we’re outside, we simply play music, as they’ll just avoid the area, we always close the windows and doors so they don’t smell the food inside, and, most importantly, we just give them space.”
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Thanks to Brian and Ricardo’s precautions, the bears can safely conduct their favorite neighborly activities, including sniffing new Amazon packages and drinking from the water fountain out front.
Maddie, Punky, Nappy and their friends weren’t exactly the neighbors Brian and Ricardo anticipated, but after years of enjoying their company, they now wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Living around them has brought us so much unexpected joy,” Brian said. “We all can coexist in this life.”
To keep up with Punky, Maddie, Nappy and the other wildlife in their community, you can follow Pool Bear Life on Instagram and YouTube.
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