Bruin Wilson Sherman is blending ecology, social science and social media data to prepare Southern California communities for a wilder future.
Bruin Wilson Sherman is blending ecology, social science and social media data to prepare Southern California communities for a wilder future.
UCLA’s famed campus Bruin statue doesn’t have it all that different from his living, breathing cousins some 30 miles away in the San Gabriel Mountain communities. When encountered on Bruin Walk, people will instinctively whip out their phones to snap a picture of the imposing bronze bear, teeth bared and trapezius muscle flexed. In the not-so-distant future, however, this Bruin might not be the only bear in the area — though hopefully he’ll remain the only one prompting bear selfies with prospective students on campus tours.
As black bear-human encounters continue to make headlines across Southern California — including a recent uptick in sightings during drought conditions — UCLA researcher Wilson Sherman is working to understand what this shift means for communities and how they can prepare.
Read More: University of California – Los Angeles
Image: The growing overlap between black bears and people is causing increased community concern in Southern California’s foothill suburbs, such as Arcadia, where bears are often seen feeding on trash or wandering the streets. (Credit: Wilson Sherman via University of California – Los Angeles)
