IT'S WILD OUT THERE RAINS GIVE ANIMALS BIGGER FOOD SUPPLY.

Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer

Near-record winter rainfall in the San Fernando Valley region has fueled a wildlife boom, leaving officials bracing for a possible surge in critter sightings and intrusions in residential areas.

Two bears already have found their way into the yards of local residents in recent weeks - one taking a dip in a Granada Hills pool and another sauntering into a Palmdale back yard.

And officials say they expect that in the weeks ahead there also could be more sightings of everything from mice and snakes to coyotes and mountain lions.

``The winter rains caused enormous growth in vegetation. They provided greater food sources for rodents and insects and mammals. It caused the populations to soar. Our business has risen 30 to 40 percent over last year,'' said Lawrence Jackson, a manager with Dewey Pest & Termite Control in Oxnard.

So far this rainy season in the Southland, more than 37 inches of rain has fallen - approaching the 120-year-old Los Angeles record of 38.18 inches.

``It's just a lot more of everything. We're predicting a lot more snake activity this summer because there is a lot more rodent activity. Now we're getting calls on rats, mice and gophers. It's just an explosion,'' Jackson said. ``The last time I saw something like this was during the El Nio period about 10 years ago. This is even worse.''

Marty Wall, with the California Department of Fish and Game, is familiar with what happens when heavy rains make water and food more abundant for wildlife: He tranquilized the bear in Palmdale last week.

``When you get years of high rainfall, you get movement of animals because of the food and water supply,'' he said, recalling that a couple of years ago a bear ventured to Agoura Hills near Reyes Adobe Road and the Ventura Freeway.

``It's just a matter of time before one gets across the 101, then Malibu will have a bear,'' he said. ``It's probably inevitable.''

Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game, said there are an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 black bears in California and 4,000 to 7,000 mountain lions.

There is no estimate of how many mountain lions are north of the San Fernando Valley and around the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys, but about six are believed to be in the Santa Monica Mountains, including four cubs that were born last August.

Ray Sauvajot, chief of planning, science and resource management for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, said the rains have provided more food for deer - which in turn are providing more food for mountain lions.

``We've had a lot of vegetation growth, most important the small herbaceous growth which is used for food by small mammals and by deer. Everything from rabbits to wood rats and mice should be doing really well,'' he said. ``In years past, when we've had good rains, we see their populations double.''

Ultimately, officials said, the central message for those who find themselves face to face with any wild, wandering creature is not to feed it.

``If people feed deer in their yards it could draw in mountain lions,'' Martarano said. ``The one thing that the rainfall does is make food more abundant. The wild animals come down looking for food. We think the bear in Granada Hills recently was looking for a mate, but maybe she was looking for fruit.

``Several years ago (in Monrovia in 1994) there was the case of Sampson, the hot tub bear. Some bears like swimming pools and hot tubs. It seems to happen every year that a bear will wander into somebody's pool.''

The Department of Fish and Game offers tips for dealing with wildlife at www.dgf.gov.

Eric Leach, [phone]

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Mountain lions and other critters are expected to be out in force in coming weeks.

(2) no caption (bear)

Box:

TIPS FOR KEEPING WILDLIFE AT BAY

SOURCE: Daily News research