How can I take care with bears?
Be bear aware and dispose of your trash in bear proof containers. As cute as they are, never get up close for that perfect photo. And, remember, bears can fend for themselves and don’t need our help gathering food. More pizza for you!
Why should I take care?
In the Sierra Nevada, it has become more and more common for bears, raccoons and other wildlife to frequent residential areas, and many have become habituated to feeding on our garbage.
There are hundreds of “animals-in-trash” incidents reported every year. A bear with frequent access to human food will likely lose its natural fear of humans and may damage property in its quest to reach the food source, often resulting in a death sentence for the animal: “a fed bear is a dead bear.”