Hot Bear Spotted Swimming Laps in SoCal Pool [WATCH]

ARCADIA, CA — When it's too hot in the woods, what do the bears do? In Arcadia, California, this bear paused his day to swim a few laps in a neighborhood swimming pool, according to the Arcadia Police Department. Residents inside, who wished to remain anonymous, video taped the bear swimming in their pool as they called for help.

"We live in a foothill community and live with wildlife," the Arcadia Police media communications officer Tom Le Veque stated over Facebook, reminding all to "Be Bear Aware."

Arcadia residents, familiar with bear activity in their neck of the woods, chimed in over social media with their backyard bear experiences. Melissa Song, an Arcadia mother, said the bear sighting was reminiscent of her own experience two years ago.

"(A bear) was trying to get food from our trash can," she said. "It happened around 2 a.m. and by 6 a.m. the Fish and Wildlife rescue came and sedated the bear and took him away."

According to Song, the bears are hungry and thirsty and have little choice but to come through the neighborhoods and into yards to find food.

"We recently had a coyote come halfway through our front driveway," she said. The wild animal was able to be turned away by people making loud noises.

Another resident, Mery Montgomery, has lived in the Arcadia area for more than five years. In her neighborhood of Orange Grove, residents are most familiar with seeing bears, though coyote sightings are also normal in that part of the city.

"I have had a bear in a tree near my tennis court, and in our Vista residence, teenage bears came by several times," she said in interview. Teenage bears, according to Montgomery, are identifiable by their long and lanky frame. "In my experience, if you call the Arcadia police, they'll shoot them with a beanbag gun,"

In the La Cañada-Flintride area, a bear was recently found taking a dip in a backyard pool, climbing a tree and napping before heading back to the wilderness.

Bears have also been spotted wandering the streets of the Pasadena area, but often they will return to the wilderness of their own accord.

Last year, an entire family of bears took a dip in a Rockaway, New Jersey backyard pool. In the video, the parents calmly try to decide what to do about it, while a child worries more about the baby bear cub using her floaties.

According to the department, foothill residents should be alert for wildlife in their neighborhoods and take the following actions to make sure that bear activity is reduced in their area.

HOW TO BE BEAR AWARE:

• Always secure trash cans when possible.
• Harvest ripened fruit from fruit trees.
• Do not feed the bears.
• Monitor children, and check yards closely to make sure they don't come into contact with bears or wildlife that could cause them harm.

The Arcadia Police Department also reminds all residents that if you see a bear in your neighborhood, contact the department at 626-574-5151.

For more information on keeping bears wild, visit: California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Keep Me Wild

Video courtesy Arcadia Police Department