Maddie (bear)

Maddie, or Maddie Bear, is a wild female American black bear living in Monrovia, California. She went viral for swimming with her cubs in the pool of Brian Gordon and Ricardo Martinez.

Description

Although various adult bear sightings have been made frequently in Monrovia,[1][2] Maddie was reportedly named by local residents after viral appearances in hot tubs and backyards.[3][4][5] In May 2024, homeowners Brian Gordon and Ricardo "Ricky" Martinez documented Maddie and her two cubs swimming in their pool,[6][7][8][9][10][11] which is along the edge of the Angeles National Forest.[12][13] Initially afraid of bears, the couple developed a fondness for Maddie and her cubs.[12][6] With sightings beginning shortly after the couple bought the home in November 2022,[6] Gordon said that the bears would visit their pool "three to five times" per week.[14]

Punky Bear is another of the bears associated with Maddie to frequent the home of Gordon and Martinez.[15][16] Two of Maddie's cubs stopped coming to the house with her and are believed to have not survived to adulthood.[17] Another bear in the area, Blondie, was euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife after swiping at a woman walking her dog in the neighborhood,[17] despite requests by the Monrovia City Council for relocation to the Angeles National Forest instead.[18] A community vigil was organized to honor Blondie, who was another visitor to the home of Gordon and Martinez;[19] Gordon had organized a petition with more than 3,700 signatories opposing euthanasia for Blondie.[17]

The story of Maddie and her cubs at the home of Gordon and Martinez was a central component of the documentary Wildlife on the Edge II: Bears.[20] The 2025 documentary, created for the environmentalist streaming service Ecoflix,[17] screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival.[21]

The 2026 documentary short Bears in Hot Tubs, created with the support of the Puffin Foundation, also tells Maddie's story. Maddie Bear herself is credited as a co-director of the film,[17] alongside Claire Musser, who is the director of the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project.[22][17][20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dallow, Lily (May 30, 2025). "Mama and baby bear cool off in San Gabriel Valley family's pool". KTLA. Archived from the original on June 1, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  2. ↑ Rand, Jory (December 27, 2022). "Mountain lion sighting in Monrovia sparks excitement as SoCal mourns loss of P-22". ABC 7. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  3. ↑ Coblentz, Emilee (May 10, 2024). "Family of bears take a swim, cool off in pool of Southern California home: Watch video". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 16, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  4. ↑ Lloyd, Jonathan; Arabian, Nyree (May 7, 2024). "Mama bear and cubs caught on video having a spring pool party in a California home". WCAU. Archived from the original on May 7, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  5. ↑ Golder, Dave (May 10, 2024). "Watch the cutest bear cub home invasion video you're likely to see this year". Advnture. Archived from the original on October 7, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Anguiano, Dani (May 7, 2024). "Family of bears cools off in California pool: 'They can take a dip whenever'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 26, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  7. ↑ Muzaffar, Maroosha (May 8, 2024). "Family of bears visits California backyard pool to cool off". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 21, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  8. ↑ Moos, Jeanne (May 9, 2024). "Family of bears goes viral for frequent takeovers of backyard pool". CNN. Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  9. ↑ Rockson, Gabrielle (May 8, 2024). "Mama Bear and Her Cubs Go for a Swim in Calif. Couple's Pool: 'Cutest Thing Ever'". People. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  10. ↑ Lloyd, Jonathan; Arabian, Nyree (May 7, 2024). "'Cuteness overload.' Watch bear and 2 cubs enjoy a spring pool day in Monrovia". KNBC. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  11. ↑ Grainery, Leah (May 10, 2024). "Momma Bear Swims in California Homeowner's Pool". Smart Her News. Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Ortiz, Ashley (July 2, 2025). "They Were Terrified Of Bears — Then They Started Sharing Their Pool With One". The Dodo. Archived from the original on July 4, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  13. ↑ "VIDEO: Mama bear, cubs enjoy a pool day in Monrovia". ARY News. May 31, 2025. Archived from the original on December 21, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  14. ↑ "'We love living with them': Family of bears throws weekly pool parties at couple's home". WKRC-TV. May 11, 2024. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  15. ↑ Volpe, Maria Azzurra (September 3, 2025). "Man Shocked at What He Finds in Pool, Then Unexpected Guest Keeps Coming Back". Newsweek. Archived from the original on November 15, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  16. ↑ Deck, Nolan (July 3, 2024). "WATCH: Black Bear Enjoys Cupcake-Shaped Floaty In California Pool". Unofficial Networks. Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rivera, Anissa (March 18, 2026). "Blondie, the bear who injured a Monrovia woman over the weekend, is euthanized". Pasadena Star-News. Archived from the original on May 14, 2026. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Community Grieving Mother Bear 'Blondie' Euthanized For Swiping At Dog Walker While Cubs Nearby". World Animal News. March 17, 2026. Archived from the original on August 10, 2026. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Vigil To Honor Blondie — Saturday, March 21, The Mother Bear Taken Too Soon". World Animal News. March 19, 2026. Archived from the original on March 24, 2026. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  20. 1 2 "Monrovia couple's bear encounters inspire new films on 'co-thriving'". Agoura Hills Today. National Today. February 11, 2026. Archived from the original on February 17, 2026. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  21. ↑ von Puttkamer, Peter (October 22, 2025). "Wildlife on the Edge 2 - Bears". Newport Beach Film Festival. Archived from the original on December 22, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Claire Musser". Falmouth University. 2024. Archived from the original on May 20, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2026.

Further reading

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