A bear was caught on surveillance wandering through the yard of an Arroyo Grande home overnight.
Peter Melsheimer says his home backs up to an oak preserve and hiking trails along James Way.
While he’s seen coyotes, skunks, large rabbits, deer and a fox before, he says this is the first time he’s come across a bear.
The sighting was captured in the side of Melsheimer’s yard around 1:19 a.m. Wednesday.
Fish & Wildlife officials say their local enforcement division has not received any reports of recent bear sightings in the area.
Dave Hacker, a senior environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, says it’s not too surprising that a bear was seen in this area as they regularly show up around the edges of Arroyo Grande.
He says this is the time of year when bear activity starts ramping up, so he anticipates there could be more reports in the near future.
Hacker adds that reported sightings of bears, mountain lions and other animals has increased as more people have doorbell cameras and other types of homes surveillance systems.
California is only home to black bears, although their fur can be a variety of colors.
