Black bears are increasingly breaking into homes around Lake Tahoe, leaving residents to spend thousands of dollars protecting their properties from hungry wildlife. So far this year, South Lake Tahoe police have received 174 bear-related calls, compared with 97 during the same period last year.
Protecting Homes
Resident Margaret Deanesly Ziegler has installed everything from electric deterrents to a steel door to protect her summer cabin from bears, spending about $7,500 in the process. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that black bears are highly food-motivated and naturally investigate attractive smells in search of food.
The department recommends eliminating food attractants and blocking access to them with bear-proof containers, electric fencing or electric mats. The increase in encounters has also sparked debate among Lake Tahoe residents over whether bears or people are driving the problem.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
