Authorities were trying to get a black bear back into its habitat Wednesday morning, after it cooled off in a pool in a La Cañada Flintridge neighborhood.

Game wardens, as well as the Pasadena Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, were trying to “chase it back up into the hills,” said Andrew Hughan, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

A female black bear rests in a tall pine tree on Jarvis Avenue in La Cañada Flintridge after walking through the neighborhood and swimming in a pool. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times )

“It’s a wily little fellow,” Hughan said.


The female black bear looks to be about 2 to 3 years old. While out on her excursion, she had taken a dip in a swimming pool, Hughan said. He added that the bear is not aggressive.

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“The bear is terrified,” Hughan said. “It’s just terrified of the noises, the police cars, the helicopters. … We want people to back off.”

The bear is up in a tree, Hughan said, and is in good health. The bear has a tag in its ear, which indicates that officials have crossed paths with her before, he said.


“We’re just going to wait it out and hope that when the helicopters peel off, she comes out of the tree,” he said.

Hughan said the incident is not that unusual this time of year.

Juvenile bears are being displaced by younger siblings, Hughan said.

“The new cubs have been born, and it is time for big brother or big sister to move on,” he said.


brittny.mejia@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

4:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information from Andrew Hughan, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.


This article was originally published at 11:51 a.m.