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Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 92F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..
Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
A Ring doorbell camera at a home in the Bear Cub Acres neighborhood east of Phoenix Reservoir caught images of a bear (right) and mountain lion (left) just hours apart late Sunday and early Monday.
Lloyd Bolden, of the Bear Cub Acres neighborhood east of Phoenix Reservoir, woke up Monday to find his chicken coop destroyed and both of his chickens killed the morning after a Ring doorbell camera on a neighboring home captured a bear and mountain lion within hours of each other.
A Ring doorbell camera at a home in the Bear Cub Acres neighborhood east of Phoenix Reservoir caught images of a bear (right) and mountain lion (left) just hours apart late Sunday and early Monday.
Lloyd Bolden, of the Bear Cub Acres neighborhood east of Phoenix Reservoir, woke up Monday to find his chicken coop destroyed and both of his chickens killed the morning after a Ring doorbell camera on a neighboring home captured a bear and mountain lion within hours of each other.
A bear and a mountain lion were captured on camera roaming a neighborhood east of Phoenix Reservoir within hours of each other late Sunday night and early Monday morning, and one of the animals could be responsible for destroying a chicken coop belonging to a resident in the area and killing both chickens inside.
Lloyd Boldemann, a 21-year resident of Bear Cub Acres, said he was at his home Sunday night on Bear Cub Court when he heard “some big thuds” outside but didn’t know what it was at the time.
When Boldemann got up in the morning, he found something had destroyed the chicken coop he’s had since 2015 and killed both of the chickens that were inside.
Boldemann’s neighbor, Ken Buhagiar, then showed him images captured overnight from the Ring camera at his home which showed a bear wandering by at 8:36 p.m. Sunday, followed by a mountain lion at 12:54 a.m. Monday.
“He’s captured pictures (of wildlife) before,” Boldemann said. “We’ve had a resident pair of foxes before, and once in a while you’ll see a cat, but I don’t think he’s ever seen a bear and a cat at once.”
Boldemann said he notified his neighbors about the sightings to warn them because some have chickens and dogs, but he had yet to notify the California Department Fish and Wildlife because he’s concerned they could be captured and euthanized due to killing livestock.
More so, Boldemann said he contacted The Union Democrat to remind people living in the area to remain alert of their surroundings, because such animals have called the area home since long before humans.
“Just keep your eyes out, that’s all you have to do,” he said. “They don’t want to see you anymore than you want to see them.”
Boldemann said he believes the bear was likely the one responsible due to the level of destruction to his coop. Both animals are native to the Sierra Nevada, and encounters between them and humans are rare.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates between 30,000 to 40,000 black bears statewide, between a 100% to 200% increase over the past 40 years.
The bears are expected to have a population density of between 0.5 and 1.0 bears per square mile in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Wildlife experts also say pretty much everywhere in Tuolumne County is good habitat for mountain lions. Last month, a Rawhide Road resident’s Ring camera caught three roaming the area as a group.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife provides the following tips for those who live in bear and mountain lion country.
• Always keep trash, recycling, and compost in secure bins.
• Wait to put out trash until the morning of collection.
• Clean garbage and recycling bins with bleach or ammonia.
• Remove unsecured trash, food, and strongly scented items (e.g., sunscreen) from vehicles and yard.
Use simple, effective exclusion methods:
• Keep doors and windows closed and locked when unoccupied.
• Bring pets inside at night. Keep livestock in secure pens at night.
• Eliminate access to potential den sites (e.g., crawl spaces under decks).
• Store barbecue grills in a secure shed or garage, and keep clean when not in use.
Use simple, effective deterrent methods:
• Install motion-activated lights, noise or alarms.
• Install electric fencing around chicken coops and animal enclosures.
• Install electric mats “‘unwelcome mats”).
• Deploy sensory deterrent where potential access to attractants may occur (e.g., place ammonia in shallow bowl).
• Remove bird feeders from yard.
• Plant native flowers to attract birds instead.
• Do not feed other wildlife — this will attract bears.
• Pick ripe fruit off trees, and promptly collect fruit that falls off trees.
• Deer-proof your property to avoid attracting a lion's main food source.
• Remove dense vegetation from around the home to reduce hiding spaces.
• Install outdoor lighting to make it difficult for mountain lions to approach unseen.
• Secure livestock and outdoor large pets in sturdy, covered shelters at night.
• Always remember — mountain lions are wild animals and their behavior may be unpredictable — like any wildlife.
• Do not hike, bike or jog alone. Do not hike, bike or jog at dawn, dusk or at night.
• Stay alert on trails. Keep a close watch on small children and off-leash pets.
• Never approach a mountain lion. Give them an escape route.
• Do not run. Stay calm. Do not turn your back. Face the animal, make noise and try to look bigger.
• Do not crouch down or bend over.
This story has been updated from an earlier version that had Lloyd Boldemann's last name spelled incorrectly throughout.
Contact Alex MacLean at amaclean@uniondemocrat.com or (209) 768-5175.