A black bear in the mountains of San Bernardino County was caught on camera last month after it triggered the doorbell camera at a cabin and surprised its owners.
The video was captured April 18 at a cabin near Running Springs. It shows a large black bear approach the cabin’s front door, stand up on its hind legs and look around.
At one point, the bear appears to stare right at the camera.
The video was shared with KTLA by Ring, the popular brand of security doorbell cameras.
The owner of the cabin told Ring that the bear stopped by the cabin around 2:45 a.m., and while bears have been known to roam around the neighborhood, one has never gotten that close to the cabin before.
“Upon viewing, we were in disbelief,” said Cesar, the owner of the cabin. “This was a very big bear. We want to share the video to bring awareness to the local community and tourists that bears do roam the area. This awareness will minimize potential danger for both people and wildlife/bears.”
He added that he believes the bear may have been driven closer to society due to recent extreme weather that may be causing a food shortage in its normal habitat.
Cesar said that his family purchased the cabin only two years ago from a family that had owned it since the 1980s. The Ring camera was already installed when they completed the purchase, and without it, he says they probably never would’ve captured the incredible video.
Ring theorized that there might be a growing trend of bears playing the childhood prank of “ding dong ditch.” A black bear in West Virginia was caught on camera doing the same thing just last week.
While beautiful creatures, black bears are dangerous predators and those who live in their turf are urged to take the necessary precautions to reduce encounters.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife urges residents to use bear-proof containers for garbage and recycling, bring pets indoors at night and install motion-activated lights or alarms.
For more tips, click here.
By taking these preventative steps, Californians can reduce their likelihood of encountering black bears, which is good for humans and good for the bears.
