Bear cubs closely trailing mom are recorded on video. It’s history for California park
Black bear cubs have been captured on a wildlife camera — marking a historical moment for a California park, officials say.
In the more than nine years since park officials have been tracking bear activity, it’s the first time bear cubs have been seen on a Hood Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve wildlife camera, Sonoma County Regional Parks said in a Feb. 19 Facebook post.
“This shows that bears are not only traveling through the park, but also living and reproducing there,” officials said.
A video shared by park officials shows a mother bear walking across the screen with two little cubs closely trailing behind.
“While these cubs may look small, we estimate they’re close to a year in age and will be ready to disperse on their own this spring or summer (having spent two winters with mom),” officials said.
After they were born, the “small and helpless” cubs spent their first winter in their mother’s den, officials said.
For their first year of life, they learned “all about important food sources and safe places to travel,” prepping them to set out on their own, the parks post said.
Wildlife officials said the sighting serves as “a good reminder that Sonoma County = bear country.”
“It’s key that these cubs (and their mom) don’t develop a taste for human food and trash,” officials said, adding that residents can help “by securing your food, trash, beehives and chicken coops.”
Hood Mountain Regional Park is about 50 miles north from San Francisco.
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Bear cubs closely trailing mom are recorded on video. It’s history for California park."
