Oakland family shares home with mama bear, 4 cubs
“The initial reaction we saw them was, Wow, this is so cool. And they’re adorable.” But that feeling didn’t last long.
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A family in Oakland says they ’ve been sharing their home with some very uninvited guests — five bears that just won’t leave.
Vincent Lim and Veronica O'Brien-Lim say what started as a possible sighting of one or two cubs quickly turned into something much bigger than they expected.
“We saw that there were actually three cubs and then eventually four cubs, and then I think we have the final count now as one adult bear and four cubs," Vincent said.
The family says they initially reached out after noticing activity near their property, but were told Animal Control would not remove the bears unless directed by the state and that officials believed the animals would likely move on within a day or two on their own.
But instead, the bears stayed.
For the first few weeks after the cubs were born, the mother bear appeared to stay low — taking shelter in a crawl space or den under the home while caring for her young.
At first, the family says the experience even felt exciting.
“The initial reaction we saw them was, Wow, this is so cool. And they’re adorable.”
But that feeling didn’t last long.
In recent days, the bears have become more active around the property, with the cubs climbing on outdoor equipment and chewing at hoses and wires, according to the family.
“The cubs are very intrigued by our central air unit, and so they’re using that as a climbing gym, and they’re chewing at the hoses and wires and things like that.”
The Lims also say the mother bear has changed behavior in the past few days, now leaving the den at night and returning with bags of garbage from nearby homes.
What started as curiosity has now become a growing concern, both for the family and neighbors in the area.
“People around here are concerned… because there are a lot of kids in the neighborhood.”
The family says they’ve tried to get help, but for now, they’ve been told to wait it out — since intervening could risk separating the cubs from their mother.
In the meantime, they say they’re taking precautions, including keeping air horns and tools nearby in case the bears come too close.
