When you're roaming a habitat for black bears like the Tahoe Basin, scare them off so they don't steal your food.
That's the core message of a presentation put on by California State Parks at Tahoe Bear Fest.
Senior Park Aide for Interpretation Camden Dahms says if we treat bears nicely when they get human food, they'll think it's okay and keep coming back.
"If a bear gets food and we just take pictures and smile and laugh, they're like, 'awesome. That was safe and easy,'" Dahms says.
"If we're screaming and yelling and hitting car air horns and banging pots and pans and campgrounds," he adds, "it's a little jarring, and maybe they think twice before they come back,"
Dahms says you can keep bears away in the first place with proper food and trash storage, such as locking, bear-proof trash cans.
This is just one of the lessons for the public at Tahoe Bear Fest. The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) started the event last year at Spooner Lake State Park.
TIBT itself has been around since 2020, and comprises multiple agencies at the federal, state and local level. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Nevada Department of Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service are just a few members of TIBT.
Tyler Kerver is an event coordinator for TIBT and the Education & Information Officer for Nevada State Parks. Kerver says the event helps folks "get firsthand knowledge from the experts, the biologists, and learn how to live in bear country."
If you encounter a bear at your campsite or your home, CDFW says you should "haze" it. In other words, send a message that the bear is not welcome.
"It can be simple as yelling at the bear and clapping your hands. you can use different tools and equipment, such as an air horn," says Alexia Ronning, a Tahoe Bear Biologist for CDFW.
Ronning says if the bear is actively threatening your life, then you can use bear spray.
Even though Tahoe Bear Fest is only a one-day event, staying "bear aware" is a year-round process. If you want to learn more about TIBT or get more tips on bear safety, click here.
