Video: Bear spotted in Fresno neighborhood, near Herndon and West avenues
A bear was spotted early Thursday morning in a residential neighborhood in northwest Fresno.
Fresno City Councilman Mike Karbassi arrived late to Thursday’s council meeting and announced he received a call from a resident in his district at around 7:15 a.m. that a bear was “on the loose” on Isla Avenue, near Herndon and West avenues.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife sent a team to the neighborhood, but could not find the bear.
“A brown bear is not the usual visitor I have the pleasure of welcoming to District 2 in Northwest Fresno, but I am immensely grateful to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife for their incredibly rapid response to the area to ensure the bear returned to a more appropriate habitat without causing any harm to residents or property,” Karbassi said in a statement.
He noted that if you ever encounter large wildlife such as this bear, to call the Department of Fish and Wildlife at 559-649-1125.
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 11:44 AM.