After a couple of consecutive break-ins by a local bear, Julie Faith Strauja felt completely helpless. Concerned for the safety of her family, the Forest Falls, California resident made numerous attempts to deter the animal from entering her home including using bear spray on the animal.
The final straw came when the bear, once again, entered the residence through a window and attacked her dog. Feeling as though she had no choice, Strauja sought out a depradation permit from California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife and after the bear attempted to gain access to her home for the third consecutive day, it was shot by a friend of the family.
While to most of us, this solution seems more than reasonable, that was not the case in the small mountain community. The shot traveled quickly through Forest Falls, leaving Strauja and her family under attack.
Immediately following the incident, a Facebook post surfaced containing Strauja’s address that read, “Contact me if you want to legally make their life a living hell.”
“I haven’t regretted my decision at all, but the way the people in this town initially responded was initially disheartening,” Strauja told SBSUN. “I’ve had death threats and my address posted all over social media.”
Opponents to the incident cited the majestic beauty of the local bears, citing that she and her family were best to simply “leave the bear alone.”
The unfortunate reality surrounding wild animals such as bears is that once they become accustomed to a reliable source of food, there is not much that can be done to deter them from returning regularly. A problem many residents say is directly related to feeding wildlife, an illegal activity in the San Bernardino area. The only alternative once a bear has been accustomed to human activity, like in this case, is either relocation or euthanization.
I understand that people are upset,” said Andrew Hughan, Fish and Wildlife spokesman. “We don’t want to destroy animals unless we have to. The fact is this bear was inside the residence and had been inside the house several times.”
The Strauja’s did, however, receive some support from community members and are hopeful that the majority of neighbors will come to their senses on this issue.
“I’ve had people come by and have real conversations with me and that gave me a little encouragement and hope for the future,”
“I know this community, and when tragedies happen they usually pull together,” she said. “I hope this will happen here.”