Keeping Tahoe’s Black Bears Wild

Can human actions save bears in the Tahoe Basin? Learn how late winter behavior helps Keep Tahoe Bears Wild and prevents conflict.

Industry News

02/03/2026

byASJ

American black bear standing in sagebrush and shrubs, facing left in a natural meadow habitat.

Female American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming USA

Late winter is a critical time for bears in the Tahoe Basin — and human behavior can determine what happens next

Keep Tahoe Bears Wild

The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) is a coalition of bear experts from federal, state, and local agencies dedicated to the long-term health and survival of black bears in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Their work is grounded in decades of research and real-world experience, providing science-backed guidance on how people can safely live, recreate, and coexist with bears in bear country.

While Tahoe’s black bears are often perceived as unusually bold or fearless around people, they are biologically no different from black bears across California and Nevada. What is different is human behavior. Understanding how our actions influence bear behavior is key to keeping bears wild—and alive.

Secure Crawl Spaces: Bears Don’t Belong Under Homes

Viral photos and videos of bears denning under houses can unintentionally promote the idea that this behavior is acceptable or even beneficial. In reality, bears denning under homes create serious risks for both wildlife and people.

Most homeowners don’t realize a bear has taken up residence until damage is already done. Bears can tear out insulation, expose or break pipes, and cause costly structural issues. Once established, a bear can be difficult to remove, increasing the risk of habituation and conflict.

Disturbing a den—especially one with newborn cubs—can cause a mother to abandon it, potentially orphaning the cubs. For this reason, only trained wildlife professionals should evaluate and respond to bears under homes.

Bears have evolved to survive winter without human help. The most effective solution is prevention: secure all crawl spaces to discourage denning. TIBT’s video, “Securing Your Crawl Space,” shows how simple steps can make a big difference.

Deny Access to Human Food and Trash

Black bears are highly intelligent, adaptable omnivores with an exceptional sense of smell. Human food—especially garbage—is one of the biggest drivers of bear conflict in the Tahoe Basin.

While bears need large amounts of calories, especially before winter, access to human food does not help them thrive. Instead, it creates food-conditioned bears that associate neighborhoods with easy meals.

When mother bears teach cubs to seek out human food, the cycle continues. These cubs are far more likely to be struck by vehicles or involved in dangerous conflicts later in life.

Human food is also unhealthy for bears. High sugar content leads to tooth decay, infections, and painful abscesses. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal in both California and Nevada.

In the wild, a bear’s diet is about 85% plant-based, supplemented by insects, small mammals, and carrion. Wild bears play an essential ecological role as seed dispersers, predators, and scavengers—roles they can only fulfill when they remain wild.

Get BearWise: Smart Choices Save Bears

Black bears are smart and powerful. They can open doors, unscrew lids, peel back car doors, and break through windows to reach food. Yet even after large-scale disturbances like the 2021 Caldor Fire, wildlife biologists observed bears adapting and surviving by finding natural food sources.

On rare occasions, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) must remove bears that pose serious risks to human safety or property. This outcome is always a last resort—and one that wildlife professionals work hard to avoid.

Once bears become comfortable around people or dependent on human food, they become dangerous to themselves and others. That’s why public education and community participation are critical. Learn how to be BearWise at:
👉 https://bearwise.org

Except in cases of immediate danger to human life, only authorized wildlife professionals or law enforcement may legally interact with bears.

Slow Down for Bears and Other Wildlife

Seeing a black bear in a neighborhood may feel exciting, but developed areas are dangerous places for wildlife. Roads, traffic, and easy access to human food dramatically increase the risk of vehicle strikes.

Allowing bears to linger in neighborhoods raises the likelihood they’ll be injured or killed. If a bear enters your area, safely haze it and encourage it to move on so it can return to safer habitat. And always slow down when driving—for bears and all wildlife in the Tahoe Basin.

Learn more in TIBT’s video “When Bears and Humans Collide.”

Source Note

This article is adapted from guidance provided by the Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT), in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). For official updates, wildlife guidance, and incident reporting, please contact CDFW or NDOW directly.

Learn More and Report Bear Activity

TIBT is committed to keeping Tahoe’s bears wild in an increasingly developed landscape. For accurate, science-based information about black bears, visit:
👉 https://tahoebears.org