‘Yogi’ Sighting Has Deputies on Lookout

From the start of their conversation, Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Finger knew the woman on the phone was no zoologist.

Finger, working the night shift, asked the woman to estimate the size of the black bear she reported was climbing a Newhall telephone pole. While describing the bear’s climb via cellular phone from a nearby car, the woman sounded flustered, struggling for a description.

Finger offered some help.

“Is it Yogi- or is it Boo Boo-size?” he inquired.

“Yogi,” the woman replied, obviously familiar with the cartoon characters of the mischievous full-size bear and his little sidekick.

With that, patrol cars and a sheriff’s helicopter rushed to the area--16th Street and Newhall Avenue--and found the bear.

Containment, however, proved difficult. The ursine prowler, nicknamed “Yogi,” proved he was, like his namesake, “smarter than the average bear.”

He escaped the posse, fleeing into the brush along the Santa Clara River.

That was about 1 a.m. Wednesday. Through the end of the day, no sightings of the estimated 300-pound bear--or injuries or stolen picnic baskets--had been reported.

Black bears are common in California. Averaging 4 to 6 feet long, they often leave their mountain and forest habitats to forage for food in populous areas.

About 85% of their diet is vegetarian.

Now acquainted with the habits of at least one such bear, deputies are keeping an eye out.

But “I don’t think we’ll put the city on total lockdown,” Deputy Mark Burnett quipped.

Deputies plan to study some videos of the suspect.

“We’ll get some of the old Yogi Bear shows. You know, make sure we have a fresh description.”