A brown bear seeking refuge from the scorching summer heat took a dip in the pool of a Bradbury, California home, giving the residents and guests a Father’s Day surprise from the wild.
Shannon Lievense, who was visiting her parents for the holiday on Sunday, told the local ABC News affiliate that she noticed some footprints near the pool, and then watched as the bear ran from around the corner and jumped into the cool water.
“He continued to play around for about 20 minutes,” Lievense told ABC 7. “We watched him play with the different rafts, and my baby’s pool toys.”
Bradbury is located in Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley, near the foothills of the mountain range of the same name. Its residents are used to bears coming and going, and reportedly know to keep their distance. Residents are not encouraged to interact with the bears, as they can be deadly.
Last August, a similar scenario took place just 20 miles away La Cañada Flintridge when a large brown bear, seeking refuge from the scotching summer heat, took a dip in a residential pool. The visit, like Sunday’s swim, lasted for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, 3,000 miles away on the east coast in Mendham, New Jersey, a black bear took a Father’s Day dip in a family’s pool. ABC 7 in New York also reported the incident, noting that the heat has resulted in more frequent bear sightings as of late.
Southern California is in the midst of a regional heat wave, with highs in Palm Springs expected to reach 123 degrees, and temperatures in downtown Los Angeles are expected to peak at over 100 degrees.
June 20 also marks the summer solstice — the first day of what is expected to be a long, hot and dry summer in the drought-stricken Golden State.
Photo: File
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