Tahoe Bear Sightings Not Necessarily Increasing, But More Are Being Rescued From Dumpsters
TAHOE (CBS13) — The Placer County Sheriff's Office is becoming quite familiar with a particular call: a Tahoe bear trapped in a dumpster.
On Wednesday, deputies rescued a bear from a dumpster in North Star. On August 29th, deputies rescued a cub trapped inside of a different dumpster.
READ MORE: Deputies Rescue Cub From Dumpster In Tahoe As Mama Bear Watches
CBS13 asked both the sheriff's office and the Bear League if bear sightings are on the rise given two incidents happening within a week of each other. Both say sightings are roughly about the same compared to years past.
But, it might seem like there are more sightings and incidents because of the prevalence of social media. More and more people are seeing posts, videos and pictures, so it can give the impression that there are more bears being seen.
The Placer County Sheriff's Office also said more people are visiting the Tahoe area. This, in turn, leads to more trash in the area.
The bears are learning where these potential food sources are and climbing into the dumpsters.
The sheriff's office also said it's important for places to secure the dumpsters to make sure bears aren't getting inside them.