Scientists put a GPS collar on a black bear, rare in western Santa Monica Mtns. Will it cross 101 to rejoin his like?
A male black bear spotted last month in the western Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area near Malibu became the first bear in these parts to be captured by officials and fitted with a radio collar, which is being used to track its movements.
BB-12, a lone, large mammal in a remote stretch of the recreational area, can be likened to the famous mountain lion, P-22, who crossed two freeways and spent a lonely 10 years within Griffith Park. P-22 died in December from illness and complications from being struck by a carLike P-22, the bear lives alone, with no evidence of a breeding population nearby. P-22 never found a mate after becoming isolated inside Griffith Park, the only mountain lion to live there.
“He appears to be the only bear here in the Santa Monica Mountains, and he’s likely been here for almost two years based on our remote camera data,” said Sikich. “This seems to be our first resident bear in the 20 years we have conducted mountain lion research in the area. It will be interesting to see how he shares the landscape with our other resident large carnivores.”
In fact, bears have been known to take over mountain lion kills, such as deer. “The bears will take it,” Sikich said. “Once the mountain lion smells the bear, the mountain lion would rather avoid the confrontation.”
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