Humberto Fabian
Staff Writer
A black bear was hit by a car along the 210 freeway near Fruit Street in La Verne and was later euthanized by wildlife officials Monday.
The incident occurred at around 7:40 a.m. on the Fruit Street westbound on-ramp of the freeway.
La Verne Police Department officials observed the bear walking along Bowdoin Street as it made its way onto the 210 freeway.
LVPD described the bear as a female between the ages of 3 to 4 years old weighing approximately 400 pounds.
As the bear maneuvered its way onto the freeway, it was struck and injured by a vehicle on the eastbound lanes west of the Fruit Street exit, according to LVPD.
Fish and Wildlife officials were called to the scene as they tranquilized the bear and relocated it to the Inland Valley Humane Society in Pomona where they euthanized it.
“Unfortunately the bear was hit by a car,” Fish and Wildlife information officer Andrew Hughan said. “It suffered catastrophic injuries so the most humane thing to do was to euthanize it.”
Hughan said that it is typical for bears to wander around during this time of the season.
“During the spring season, since they don’t hibernate, they go through a period called denning, then when they wake up they go out and find their homes,” Hughan said.
Professor of Biology and Biochemistry Jay Jones said that more bears are coming down from the hills because of the limited food available during seasonal times and the limited areas accessible for shelter.
“It doesn’t come as a surprise that we are seeing more and more of these animals,” Jones said. “As we continue to eliminate their living areas, it’s not unusual for them to migrate down here.”
Senior biology major Lorie Collado said she lives in the foothill areas but has never encountered a bear in her time living there.
“It’s scary to think that bears are coming down here,” Collado said. “I honestly would not know what to do if I ever encountered one.”
According to the National Park Service, if a person encounters a bear, it is important to not approach it and do not allow the bear to approach you.
In the case that a bear persistently follows or approaches, do not run or turn away from the bear; talk loudly or act aggressively to intimidate the bear.
Always remember to stay calm; most bears do not want to attack anyone. They just want to be left alone.
Humberto Fabian can be reached at humberto.fabian@laverne.edu.
