Tim Henry was at home when he first noticed the cub calmly crossing his front yard.
At the time, his wife was out on a run, prompting him to get in his car and search for her. When he turned onto North West Avenue, he spotted the cub again.
The video shows the bear getting dangerously close to an oncoming car before running back onto the sidewalk. Neighbors said the cub later hopped over a fence.
Residents in the area described the encounter as rare.
"Raccoons, bobcats, deer, but a bear, that's a little different," said neighbor Brent.
Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi, who represents the neighborhood, said he received several calls about the sighting and joined residents searching for the animal.
"No one said they were worried; they weren't scared. It was just, 'Oh, there's a bear.' Most people think it's a cute bear, and they want to make sure it's safe and back in its environment," Karbassi said.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded promptly, bringing a large bear trap mounted on a truck in preparation to capture the cub.
"My best guess is just took a left-hand turn at the wrong time and ended up in the middle of town," said Dan Fidler, a wildlife biologist with the department.
After several hours, the initial search was called off amid reports the cub may have returned to its habitat. However, another sighting was reported a few hours later about a mile away near Spruce and Marks, prompting wildlife officials to resume their search.
Brent, who lives nearby and walks his dogs daily, said he plans to stay alert.
"That little one, that wouldn't be too bad. I don't want to see its mom, no," he said.
Aerial footage shows the neighborhood's proximity to the San Joaquin River, an area that often attracts wildlife. A wild turkey was spotted on the same street a day earlier.
Fidler said while bear sightings in Fresno are uncommon, he has observed an increase in bear activity across the Valley over the past decade.
"This is a rare one for Fresno," Fidler said. "Wild animals are part of living in the Valley. It's actually fascinating that we get to have these experiences from time to time as long as we're able to safely navigate them. It's good for everybody."
There have been no reports of injuries to people or pets and no property damage.
Residents in the area are being urged to be on alert and contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife if they encounter the cub.
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