Do wildlife encounters in Southern California increase during periods of drought?

You've likely seen videos of people in Southern California running into wildlife on hikes or finding bears in their pools during summer heat. Research shows there is science behind these sightings.

A new study from UC Davis finds that interactions with wildlife increase during periods of drought, and it shows how climate change is bringing wild animals closer to humans.

For every one-inch decrease in annual rainfall, researchers say there's a 2-3% increase in clashes with wildlife in California.

"So you can imagine during a drought - if we're in multiple inches shorter of rainfall than an average year - that can quickly add up to the number of reported conflicts across the state," said Kendall Calhoun, researcher at UCLA and UC Davis.

It's no surprise that less water and vegetation