A black bear takes a walk on the beach at More Mesa on Friday morning.
A black bear takes a walk on the beach at More Mesa on Friday morning. Credit: Udo Gyene photo

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is working to get Goleta’s furry tourist home.

UC Santa Barbara sent an alert to the campus community saying that Fish and Wildlife and university police were planning to trap and relocate the black bear that has been wandering around Goleta and Isla Vista.

The bear has been the talk of the town this week, with photos and videos on social media showing the bear visiting neighbors in Goleta and wandering around UCSB.

As of Friday morning, the bear had left campus, university officials said in an alert update.

“Although the bear is believed to be off-campus property, please continue to be aware of your surroundings,” the alert said.

Reader Udo Gyene saw the bear strolling on More Mesa Beach on Friday morning and sent in a video. The bear was also reportedly seen near the ocean bluffs at the border between Hope Ranch and More Mesa.

As of Friday afternoon, the bear had not been captured.

Anyone who comes in contact with the bear is advised by the California Fish and Wildlife Department to make themselves large, wave their arms, and yell. Do not run or try to feed the bear.

Residents can report bear sightings to the California Fish and Wildlife South Coast Region headquarters at 858.467.4201 or online here.

To avoid potential conflicts, the Fish and Wildlife Department warns residents to bring pets inside at night, block access to potential den sites such as crawl spaces under decks, remove bird feeders from the yard, and keep livestock in secure pens at night.

— Noozhawk staff writer Rebecca Caraway can be reached at rcaraway@noozhawk.com.