July 2023 is turning out to be the hottest month ever recorded in human history, and both humans and animals alike are searching for relief from the scorching temperatures. One black bear in California decided to cool off by making himself at home in a backyard swimming pool.
Burbank Police responded to reports of a bear sighting in a local neighborhood on Friday afternoon. Working together with Burbank Animal Shelter and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, officers tracked down the wild animal on the loose. When they arrived, they found the bear relaxing in a small pool behind one of the homes in the area.
Rather than risk capture by authorities, the animal decided he'd had enough. He "made his way over the wall" of the residence and into a tree on the property, according to a police statement.
The city of Burbank has been under a heat advisory in recent days, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures reached 91 degrees Fahrenheit when the bear decided to go for a swim and continued to climb to 96 degrees yesterday.
Bears are revered creatures in the Golden State. The California grizzly bear, featured on the state's flag, was declared the official state animal back in the 1950s. Luckily, Burbank residents and responding police didn't cross paths with a grizzly, instead coming face to face with one of California's thousands of common black bears.
The state's Department of Fish and Game, which estimates the state's black bear population between 25,000 and 30,000, urges locals to avoid approaching the animals as situations can quickly turn ugly. Weighing in at up to 500 pounds and able to run up to 35 miles per hour, they aren't exactly welcoming friends willing to cuddle.
If you have a pool and are suffering during the record-breaking heat just like our animal neighbors are, be sure to double check before going for a dip.
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