This mother of two was caught on camera visiting the neighbor's Wildlife Buffet (read: dumpster) for a late lunch this afternoon. I was not able to get a photo of the cubs. It was very surprising and highly unusual to catch these fellas in town mid-day. They usually wait until the cover of darkness. I hope this behavior is not related to a scarcity of available food in the wild or to a loss of caution on the part of this bear with respect to humans. She was not sporting any ear tags, which are indicative of a trapped and relocated bear.

In spite of the city having a leash law, there are a number of neighborhood dogs running free during much of the day. There would seem to be the potential for a violent encounter with the likelihood of a chance meeting.

For now, I will exercise a degree of caution as I head out the door or walk around a corner of the house.