A family of bears made their way down from the Northern California high country this week, prompting some sightings and alerts from community groups.
The bears appear to be following the Dry Creek watershed, which runs through parts of Placer and Sacramento counties.
On Oct. 30, Placer Elementary families were alerted about reports of bear sightings near the campus. Families were told by the principal to be vigilant and to report any other sightings to authorities.
Other residents in Loomis, as well as people in Folsom and Granite Bay, also reported bear sightings this week.
The Dry Creek Conservancy, a volunteer organization focusing on stewardship of the watershed area, then posted on Oct. 30 a video showing a family of three bears in a field near Rocklin. The group did not disclose the location where the bears were seen to protect the animals.
It appears the animals have since moved on. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been informed about the bears.
While it is relatively uncommon for bears to venture down into the Sacramento Valley, it is not completely unheard of. In 2022, a bear was sighted in Winters and Solano County. Further, in 2021, a bear was struck and killed on a freeway near the UC Davis campus.