On October 9, 2012 the Calaveras County Sheriff Dept confirmed a report of a bear sighting in Copperopolis on Little John Road at Sawmill Lake. Previous sightings not reported to the SO were located in the Diamond XX area.
According to Environmental Scientist Eric Kleinfelter of the Dept of Fish and Game no reports of bear sightings in the Copperopolis area have been received by Fish and Game. Though he stated that due to the dry winter the bears natural habitat in high elevations is low in berry and fruit production causing them to wander further for food. A thriving population of black bears and a low amount of available food this year has caused an increase in black bear sightings in Calaveras and Tuolumne.
"Black bears are opportunistic...just trying to find food as easily as possible." Kleinfelter stated that black bears rarely kill livestock though they are omnivores. They will scavenge in trash, eat pet food and ravage bee hives. As temperatures cool they will "start heading back up the hill."
Kleinfelter reminds people that it is important to keep their trash secured and their pet food put away.
If you spot a bear please call the Dept of Fish and Game Regional Office at 916-358-2900.
Kleinfelter also notes the population of mountain lions is also thriving in our area.
For more information on living with bears visit the Fish and Game 'Keep me Wild' page http://www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/bear.html
By,
Charity Maness
