SUBURBIA CAN DO MORE THAN GRIN AND BEAR IT.

Byline: Jason Kosareff Staff Writer

PASADENA - A lack of water in the local mountains is a strong incentive for parched wild animals to trek down to the suburbs this summer, but there are ways to discourage foraging fauna, according to wildlife experts.

``Right now we are experiencing a problem with coyotes,'' said Mervin Hee, patrol chief for the South Coast Region Department of Fish and Game. ``They dig in the trash and eat people's dog food and cat food.''

And Southern California is bona fide bear country, too.

In Los Angeles County, more California black bears are legally killed each year than in rural El Dorado County, which lies adjacent to Sacramento County, Hee said.

``And they kill bigger bears down here too, by the way,'' Hee added.

As communities sprawl into wilderness territory, critters learn to adapt to life in the suburbs, often losing their fear of humans.

In June, bears came down to the flatlands of Duarte and other foothill communities, leading police and wildlife officials on a chase across city streets and through the back yards of residents.

Bobcats have been spotted in the Linda Vista Avenue area of Pasadena.

And on July 7, a 100-pound mountain lion that terrorized a La Canada Flintridge neighborhood was destroyed.

``If people live in a rural kind of suburban area, animals are coming down to your property because they need water,'' said Martine Colette, director of the Wildlife Waystation in the Angeles National Forest, near Lake View Terrace.

``The most important thing to impress upon people is not to leave food out, and don't attempt to feed the animals,'' Hee said.

Leaving food out for the wayward opossum, coyote, raccoon, deer, bear or mountain lion can create a feeding pattern, meaning the animal will return night after night for a free meal.

``Everything outdoors feeds on your dog and cat food,'' Colette said.

Certain plants will also attract animals. Birds, foxes, raccoons, opossums, squirrels and deer are attracted to fruit trees, especially the easy pickings to be found if tree owners do not pick up dropped fruit.

``You should never feed deer,'' Hee said. Deer attract large predators, which you do not want to meet unless you are the Grizzly Adams sort who can wrestle a bear or headlock a mountain lion.

``Predators follow prey; they follow their food supply,'' Colette said. ``It's like (how) we don't live too far away from our grocery stores.''

Where fruit is in abundance, ``deer will be there in force.''

And so will coyotes.

``They also eat a fair amount of fruit in certain seasons,'' she said. ``That's just the nature of the beast.''

Consider lighting your property at night to keep away nocturnal animals, and if you can tolerate the racket, large barking dogs are an effective way to discourage wayward wildlife.

But the most effective way to keep animals off your property is fences, Colette said.

``Animals have become quite sophisticated when it comes to living with humans,'' she said.

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A black bear was spotted last month in a field near homes in Bradbury, Calif. A second bear had also been seen nearby.

Walt Manchini/Staff Photographer