TAHOE CITY, Calif. October 3, 2016 – The solution is simple: Don’t leave out anything that bears can eat. Still, interactions between humans and bears continue, particularly in the North Lake Tahoe area, which poses a danger to both sides.
Educating people how to safely coexist with bears is critical to preventing damage to homes and vehicles and reducing risk to us and the animals. So Placer County has produced a fun new video to help inform the public about the issue.
“Human run-ins with bears cause problems, especially in the Tahoe Basin,” said Placer County Agricultural Commissioner Joshua Huntsinger. “But with some education, everyone can learn that most of the issues with bears are preventable and the simple steps you can take to help our bears stay wild.”
Bears living near humans quickly learn that unsecured garbage is an easy meal. They also learn that food left out in a house or a cabin is just a broken window away. When a bear repeatedly accesses human food and then searches for it rather than eating its natural food, it becomes a nuisance bear. This often leads to the bear being euthanized.
The video, produced by county staff using employees and their families as actors, encourages people who reside or are visiting areas where there are bears to put away foods that attracts bears, secure garbage in a bear-proof container, not to leave food for pets outside and to remove food from vehicles. Securing garbage in a bear bin and installing an electric “hot” wire across windows to prevent break-ins are additional actions people can do to keep bears away.
For more information, please visit www.placer.ca.gov/bears