LA Couple Shares Pool With Wild Bears in Perfect Harmony

Brian Gordon thought he'd need barbed wire and walls when he learned black bears were using the pool at his new Los Angeles house. Today, he can't imagine life without them.

Gordon and his partner Ricardo Martinez now welcome a family of bears to their Monrovia home several times a week. The couple lives in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, where around 1,600 black bears call Southern California home.

At first, they tried scaring the bears away with air horns and yelling. It didn't feel right, Martinez says. They decided on a different approach: let the bears enjoy the pool and garden as long as everyone stays safe.

Their favorite visitor is Maddie, a young mother bear who brings her cubs to splash and play. She first showed up as a curious youngster in 2023 and has been returning ever since. This year she arrived with two adorable new cubs, complete with intimidating long claws.

Then there's Punky, a playful yearling who pops pool floaties and once rode an inflatable cupcake into the deep end. Another regular, nicknamed Nappy, takes hour-long floating naps in the pool with her head resting on the steps.

The couple maintains strict safety rules. They always stay inside when bears visit and keep a healthy distance. Black bear attacks are incredibly rare, with just one fatal incident in California's entire recorded history.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine is how Gordon and Martinez turned fear into understanding. When a beloved mama bear named Blondie was euthanized after swiping at a dog walker, Gordon organized a petition signed by nearly 6,000 people. Though they couldn't save Blondie, their advocacy sparked important conversations about coexistence.

Wildlife researcher Wilson Sherman from UCLA says black bears are intelligent and adaptable, learning to live alongside humans. The real challenge is helping people understand these animals aren't threats when given proper respect and space.

Gordon and Martinez share videos of their pool visitors online, showing thousands of followers that peaceful coexistence is possible. Their message is simple: these bears aren't invaders. They were here first.

The couple has no plans to chase their neighbors away. As Martinez puts it perfectly: "We live here and the bears live here. We don't want them to go anywhere."