Giant Bear Returns to Tahoe Safeway to Grab a Meal for the 2nd Time in Just Over a Week
WATCH: For the second time in just over a week, a Safeway grocery store in Lake Tahoe got an unexpected visitor: a bear. https://t.co/jOkLhiGUlP
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) August 31, 2020
(Credit: Rubī Nevarez) pic.twitter.com/MvUnankoLm
On August 18th, a visitor to the Kings Beach Safeway had a run in with a giant bear casually grabbing a bag of Tostitos. Just nine days later, the bear returned to grab another snack in an equally casual fashion.
A video captured by RubÄ« Nevarez shows the same bear grabbing a snack in the Safeway, illustrating the difficulty it’s been to keep bear populations away from human food in Tahoe. While the bear grabbed Tostitos the first time, it seemed to grab a healthier option of Chobani yogurt the second time around (watch the above video to see the interaction).
Tahoe’s King Beach community is used to having run ins with bears. During the summer months, bears emerge from hibernation to enjoy the beautiful wilderness surrounding Tahoe and get their paws on some coveted human food. While some bears in the Tahoe area may be skittish while trying to get some human food, others have become so comfortable with their human neighbors that they will calmly get whatever they can whenever they can.
The workers of this Safeway have to be getting weary of bear visits this summer. Will they bear-proof the doors? Or have animal control on speed dial? See the first incident with this bear:
Learn more about the controversy surrounding Tahoe’s growing bear population.