Eyewitness Newsmakers: Up close encounters with SoCal wildlife

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Within sight of the gleaming downtown Los Angeles skyscrapers, mountain lions, bears and other apex predators are roaming the foothills and mountains. That wildlife is also showing up more frequently in Southern California neighborhoods.

We discussed the excitement and concerns about this during a recent episode of Eyewitness Newsmakers.

Robert Martinez is a wildlife photographer who has trail cameras set up in the mountains and foothills along I-210 in the San Gabriel Valley. He places his motion-activated cameras far into the forest where they won't be vandalized and in locations animals frequent.

The devices record during the day and at night, showing how animals truly live in their natural habitat without the threat of humans. Martinez has learned bears and mountain lions just want space to roam and are more afraid of humans than we are of them. He believes we're seeing more encounters with wildlife in neighborhoods because more homeowners now have access to cameras -- both on their phones and for security purposes.

That sentiment is echoed by Alex Heeren from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. In addition to new technology, Heeren believes more people are working at home or remotely, so they're able to notice sightings they may never have before.

The only bear species currently living in California is the American black bear, although Heeren says the bears do not necessarily all have black fur. He says bites, scratches and other injuries to humans from black bears are extremely rare, but warns if you see a bear, you should not get in between the animal and its escape route.

When Fish and Wildlife officials are called in to dart a bear who wandered a bit further into a community than it should have, the goal is to tranquilize the animal and release it as close to the original location as possible. Mountain lion sightings are much rarer than bear sightings, however, Heeren says while we may not see a mountain lion, they may see us.

Heeren is specifically excited about the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing being built over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. He says not only will large animals like mountain lions, bears and deer safely cross the busy freeway, but so will smaller animals, reptiles, amphibians and rodents.

The crossing is expected to open in late 2025.