Black bears in the Tahoe Basin are searching for food, and intentional or unintentional feeding of bears results in unwanted bear behaviors, increased human-bear conflicts and public safety issues, as well as fines and possible jail time for violators, according to a press release from local and state agencies.
Each year, local law enforcement and state wildlife officers respond to hundreds of calls were bears may pose a public safety threat or are damaging property. In some cases, the bear must be euthanized. This year, agencies and local communities in the Tahoe Basin are unsure how the current situation surrounding COVID-19 and shelter in place orders may impact human-bear conflicts.