L.A. County Arboretum in Arcadia closed after mother bear, cubs spotted on grounds, officials say
A mother black bear and her two young cubs were seen on the premises of L.A. County Arboretum on Wednesday at 6 p.m., officials said.
The bear wandered into and out of a parking lot behind the Los Angeles County Arboretum at 3428 N. Central Drive and came up the sidewalk outside the L.A. County Arboretum Building, according to officials. She then slipped into a parking lot behind the Arboretum and left the Arboretum through a small door.
Los Angeles County Arboretum officials said the bear can be seen several times a day — most often at the Arboretum on Mondays or Tuesdays.
It’s not known how long the bear has been on the grounds.
“We don’t have a timeline for this. We just don’t know,” L.A. County Arboretum spokeswoman Cindy Hatton said.
Officials said she is in good condition, but they are investigating.
“It’s not in any distress. The animals are not running loose. They’re just enjoying the fresh air that they’ve been deprived of for so long,” Hatton said.
The cubs were both born Feb. 19 at the Arboretum, according to the zoo.
The animals are still on display at the Arboretum through April, according to zoo officials.
There is another black bear at the Arboretum who has been spotted but is not mother to any of the other bears, according to zoo officials. Zoo officials have not confirmed if that animal was the mother bear and cubs.
The bear was spotted in the parking lot Wednesday afternoon and was on the Arboretum grounds for two hours. It was later tranquilized but it wasn’t known for sure if she was pregnant.
There were no signs of the animal in the park for the rest of the day, according to officials. It’s in good condition and is no longer on the grounds, according to Hatton.
The Arboretum
