Bear found behind Indio car dealership
There was a shocking start to Mother’s Day Sunday when a bear was spotted in Indio. Riverside County Animal Services personnel jumped into action with a multi-agency response. The California Department of Fish & Wildlife tranquilized the animal while it hid in the bushes along Adams Street near Fiesta Ford, and transported it to the Santa Rosa Mountains.
Riverside County Animal Services officials said a call came in just before 6 a.m. The bear was spotted inside some high shrubs near a Ford dealership, north of Interstate 10 and south of Avenue 40. A residential community was located just over a brick wall, behind the shrubs.
Bear cub in Indio safe, thanks to our friends @CaliforniaDFW; bear in bushes has been tranquilized. #indioBEAR
— RivCO animalSERVICES (@helpinRIVcoPETS) May 14, 2017
Animal Services, Fish and Wildlife, and California Highway Patrol responded to the bear sighting.
The bear, a female California black bear, was roughly 3 years old and described by Chang as very healthy. The bear’s coat color was similar to cinnamon.
Riverside County Animal Services initially described the animal as a bear cub, due to its small size. But young bear would be a more appropriate description.
Kyle Chang, with Fish & Wildlife, thinks the bear must have come down to the desert for food.
“It probably came down here to eat and people scared it. So it got further and further down towards the 10,” Chang said.
While unusual, this isn’t the first time a bear has come to the desert.
“It happens every couple of years. We’ve had it happen before, where it gets pretty close to the 10 Freeway. But its like every three or four years maybe,” Chang said.
Officers made sure it was breathing and cool, pouring water on it, before taking it back into the wild.
“So what we’ll do is make sure it goes back into the wild. Once it wakes up, we’ll ear tag it and make sure everything is OK and it’s healthy,” Chang said.
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