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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bear Cub Strikes Again in Auburn, California

Aired May 29, 2002 - 05:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A bear cub has struck again in Auburn, California. He had been known for rummaging through garbage cans, but lately he's had a taste for chicken.

Reporter Erin McCallister, of CNN Sacramento affiliate KOVR has the bear facts for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You saw him doing that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yesterday I caught him doing it. I caught him with the chicken in his mouth.

ERIN MCCALLISTER, REPORTER, KOVR (voice-over): Up until yesterday, Susan Sutherland was OK with the idea that a bear cub made its home in her back yard. She says it's not a scary bear, a clumsy one, maybe.

SUSAN SUTHERLAND, RESIDENT: He was kind of clumsy. Just kind of fell right out of the tree into the squashed plants.

MCCALLISTER: The bear has felt so at home, once it even tried to go inside the house.

SUTHERLAND: He just kind of walked in and my husband just shut the door on him.

MCCALLISTER: But now, as the two-year-old cub lounges on a tree limb in her yard, Susan is starting to see her furry visitor as more of a nuisance. For the last two days, the cub has broke through these boards and made meals of her chickens.

SUTHERLAND: This is just one of yesterday's. It's one a day -- 12:30. He's a lunchtime boy.

MCCALLISTER: So away the chickens go into a pickup and on their way to a new home; the home of Susan's very good friend.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm here on a chicken mission -- yes.

MCCALLISTER (on camera): And chickens aren't the only animals missing from Susan's backyard. In this pond, there used to be six fish swimming around. Now there's only one. (voice-over): But it's hard to be angry at a bear.

SUTHERLAND: No, it's not his fault. He has to eat. It's an animal; that's what animals do. He hasn't harmed any -- he's not aggressive, he didn't attack anybody.

MCCALLISTER: Still, she says, she needs to make her home a little less comfy.

SUTHERLAND: They really want hummingbird feed. There's sugar in there. They really like hummingbird feed. This is a great tree to sit in for a bear. And when you're walking out this door, or even if it's opened, you're walking out. There's a bear sitting there looking at you.

MCCALLISTER: And she hopes soon no more chickens will mean no more bear.

SUTHERLAND: We're hoping. We're really hoping. You know, hopefully it will just go after the trash cans. And I've got one (UNINTELLIGIBLE) left. He can have a fish dinner.

MCCALLISTER: Erin McCallister, KOVR 13 News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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