Auburn is 4th Placer County city to report recent bear sightings in residential areas
AUBURN, Calif. —
While wildlife officials continue to be on the lookout after bear sightings in multiple residential areas in Placer County, Auburn is the latest city to report a sighting.
This time, instead of a solitary bear, the Auburn Police Department said a mama bear and her two cubs were spotted near Lincoln Way and Russell Road.
Lincoln was the previous city to report a sighting. The Lincoln Police Department on Aug. 7 warned people after one was spotted near Wagon Wheel and Overland lanes, and Oak Tree Lane and Highway 193.
Prior to that, there were multiple sightings in Roseville and Rocklin, two cities next to each other.
Auburn’s sighting is the first instance of multiple bears spotted at the same time.
It is unknown if this mama bear and her cubs were the ones seen across Placer County, or if they were entirely different bears.
Like with other city police departments, Auburn is reminding residents to keep an eye on their surroundings, secure garbage and food sources, and to bring pets and other animals inside if a bear is in the area.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears mate from June to August, and as fall approaches, bears enter a temporary physiological state known as hyperphagia. That is considered to be the time of year when bears consume as much food as they can to store enough fat for the winter months.
CDFW said an adult bear during the fall can consume 20,000 to 24,000 calories a day and may travel beyond their normal home range in search of food.
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“The increased drive for food can lead bears to seek easy, calorie-dense meals in residential areas if food, garbage and recycling are not properly stored,” CDFW said in a 2024 article about bears’ feeding frenzy period.
If there is an emergency involving the bear or an immediate threat to people or property, residents should call 911 or contact CDFW.
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