GEORGETOWN, California — A bear spotted in a backyard in Georgetown, California, in El Dorado County was shown on camera standing on its hind legs taking fruit from an apple tree, and state wildlife officials said the incident looks to be part of a "feeding frenzy" bears enter in the fall.
The video, taken by Ring camera around 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 3, was filmed in Dayna Hawes' backyard. Hawes, a retired wildlife biologist, sent it to ABC10. She said the camera was originally pointed elsewhere in the yard, but after catching bears on camera the prior two nights, she decided to point the camera at the tree.
Peter Tira, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said fall is when black bears, the only bear species in California, enter a temporary state known as hyperphagia, or a feeding frenzy.
"During hyperphagia, bears consume as much as they can to bring their fat stores to a level where they can prepare for hibernation and survive the quickly approaching winter months," Tira said.
Tira said there are many black bears in El Dorado County, so the appearance and behavior of the bear is not surprising.
"Throughout the year, an adult black bear typically will consume 5,000 calories a day," he said. "In the fall, an adult black bear can consume 20,000 to 24,000 calories a day and can gain multiple pounds per day."
Around 8:30 p.m., the bear walked on its hind legs, climbed up the tree and began shaking the branches in an attempt to knock apples to the ground, Hawes said.
The tree is about 20 feet from Hawes’ house she said. The area is fenced.
“Most people have said, ‘nope, nope, nope’ and that ‘it’s too close for comfort,’” Hawes said. “People think it’s a costume.”
She said what surprises her most about the incident is how many people do not know bears will walk on their hind legs without being trained.
"We recommend that property owners be especially vigilant this time in securing trash and human-sourced food so bears can’t gain access to it," Tira said. "To keep bears from entering backyards or rural properties, property owners should also pick fruit off the ground and trees."
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