CDFW News

Spring Weather Brings Hungry Bears to Tahoe Region

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:01:58 GMT

As snow melts across the Lake Tahoe region, black bears have emerged from their dens and are searching for food, signaling the start of a busy spring season for wildlife.

Seasonal Outlook and Impacts

Male and female bears without cubs are already active, feeding on early grasses and plants. Warmer-than-average temperatures and low snowpack, however, could reduce the availability of natural food sources later this year.

Some of the most important natural foods for bears include mast, which refers to nuts, seeds and fruits produced by trees and shrubs. Mast is categorized as hard mast, such as nuts and seeds, and soft mast, such as berries. These food sources are influenced by temperature and precipitation, which affect their growing season, productivity and timing.

With Lake Tahoe snowpack at just 24% of the April average and warm temperatures prematurely melting snow, the Tahoe Basin is likely to see a shortened growing season with average or below average mast productivity.

Black bears are highly adaptable and will shift to other natural food sources, including insects and small mammals. However, studies show that bears living near urban areas often turn to human-related food sources when natural foods are scarce.

“What puts bears at greatest risk isn’t a lack of natural food, it’s access to ours. Encouraging close interactions, allowing bears to den under homes, or feeding bears (intentionally or unintentionally) leads to dangerous outcomes for both bears and people,” explained Bear Management Specialist Sarinah Simons with California State Parks. “If we want healthy bears on the landscape, we need to give them the space to stay wild.”

Bears that rely on human-provided food face a higher risk of mortality. In years with poor natural food availability, reported vehicle collisions involving bears have been shown to double or even triple. As bears travel greater distances in search of food, they are more likely to encounter vehicles and unsecured attractants.

How Can You Help?

Residents and visitors can help reduce these risks by securing potential attractants and following the BearWise Six At-Home Basics:

Never feed or approach bears.
Secure food, garbage and recycling.
Remove bird feeders when bears are active.
Never leave pet food outdoors.
Clean and store grills and smokers.
Alert neighbors to bear activity.

Properly securing garbage is one of the most effective ways to prevent bear conflicts. Food and trash should never be left in vehicles, and vehicle doors and windows should remain closed and locked.

Bird feeders should be removed. A single pound of black oil sunflower seeds contains approximately 2,500 calories, making it a high-reward food source for bears. Alternative methods for attracting birds without attracting bears are available through the BearWise bulletin, Attracting Birds, Not Bears.

Property owners can also take steps to secure buildings. Keeping doors and windows locked can help prevent bears from entering structures. For wooden garage doors, electric deterrents such as wiring or mats may help prevent damage. The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) highly recommend utilizing the BearWise Host Set to display helpful information for your guests.

Lake Tahoe is prime bear country, and it is the responsibility of everyone living in, visiting or recreating in the Tahoe Basin to secure food, trash and other scented items. Consistent practices help keep bears healthy and wild.

Call the Experts

Spring is also the time of year residents or visitors may see a bear they believe looks unhealthy, sick or orphaned. Bear health concerns should be reported to the TIBT’s wildlife professionals at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) or the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). These agencies have the training, expertise, and veterinary resources to assess a bear’s condition and transport it for care, if needed.

For more great tips about living responsibly with bears, visit tahoebears.org and bearwise.org.

To report human-bear conflicts:

In California, contact CDFW at (916) 358-2917 or report online using the Wildlife Incident Reporting system at apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir.
Non-emergency wildlife interactions in California State Parks can be reported to their public dispatch at 916-358-1300.
In Nevada, contact NDOW at 775-688-BEAR (2327).
If the issue is an immediate threat, call the local sheriff’s department or 911.

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The Secret Winter Lives of Lake Tahoe’s Black Bears

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:41:59 GMT

Keep Tahoe Bears Wild!

Spring is in the air at Lake Tahoe, and black bears are emerging from their winter dens. This includes mother bears with new cubs of the year that are only about 8 to 10 weeks old.

The reproduction cycle began back in the spring of last year, yet the mother bear has only been pregnant since around Thanksgiving. If the math doesn’t add up, here’s why: Black bears have a unique reproductive cycle that allows them to mate in the spring/summer but delay true pregnancy until the fall to increase the odds of success for a healthy pregnancy and fetus.

Black bears mate in the summer from June to August, and the adult females undergo a process called delayed implantation. The sperm from the male fertilizes the microscopic egg inside the female, which quickly develops into a small ball of cells called a blastocyst. At this point, the pregnancy process pauses with the blastocyst floating around in the uterus, suspending further development until the fall. This pause allows time for the female to gain the fat reserves she will need to sustain both herself and any cubs she may have during the upcoming winter hibernation, or torpor, as it’s more accurately called for bears.

Hibernation is tightly related to resource availability, and bears prepare for it in the fall by entering a period called "hyperphagia" (pronounced hi·per·fay·jee·uh). This period is marked by a substantial increase in feeding activity when bears are known to consume about 25,000 calories per day. All bears experience this feeding frenzy whether pregnant or not.

As natural food supplies dwindle and snow gradually blankets the Tahoe Basin, bears naturally go into hibernation to save precious energy and resources. This is because bears do not eat or drink during hibernation, nor do they urinate or defecate. Instead, they have developed the ability to live off acquired fat stores and recycle wastes back into usable proteins. During this period, their heart and metabolic rates drop significantly, and they can lose 25 to 40 percent of their body weight.

The stresses of hibernation are even more pronounced for females with cubs. To prepare for hibernation, the female’s body will carry out a self-evaluation in the late fall. If she has acquired the necessary fat reserves to sustain herself and her cubs throughout the entire hibernation period, the blastocyst will implant onto the uterine wall, and the fetus will begin to develop. In other words, true pregnancy begins. If the female has not accumulated enough body fat, the pregnancy ends and the blastocyst is reabsorbed by her body.

Sometime before Feb. 1, a pregnant female will give birth in the den to a litter of one to four blind, naked cubs weighing less than 1 pound. The female hardly awakens from torpor during birth, becoming just alert enough to lick the cubs clean and move them into a position that keeps them warm and allows them to nurse. The cubs continue to nurse and grow, becoming more active through the remainder of hibernation. A female with new cubs of the year emerges from the den between March and May with cubs weighing around 5 to 7 pounds.

Throughout the cubs’ first year, they learn everything about how to be a bear from their mother, including where to find food and what is dangerous and to be avoided. Cubs of the year are dependent on their mothers for several months and are taught how to forage on natural foods, including grass, berries and grubs. A female with cubs will be busy caring for and teaching her new cubs and will not mate again in the summer. Cubs of the year stay with their mother through the following hibernation and their first birthday, emerging from their mother’s den again the following spring as yearlings. Newly emerged yearlings are typically 50 to 150 pounds, and though they may be a bit awkward, they are well equipped and ready to go off on their own. Mother bears, once free of these “teenagers,” will once again find a mate and breed to continue the cycle of producing cubs every other year.

As omnivores, a bear’s diet is about 85 percent plant-based, with the remaining portion coming from insects, small mammals and carrion. Bears provide essential ecosystem functions, including helping to spread seeds through their scat, transporting pollen on their fur and tongues, cleaning up animals that died during the winter and aiding in nutrient cycling by digging for insects.

Though seeing a female bear with her new cubs can be a very exciting experience, bears play an important role in Lake Tahoe’s ecosystem and allowing them access to human food and garbage is detrimental to natural processes and their health. When mother bears teach their cubs to access human foods, they not only continue the cycle of human food-conditioning, but the cubs are much more prone to conflict, including being hit and killed by vehicles. Cubs taught to seek human food sources do not learn how to forage naturally. Instead, once they separate from their mother, they become dependent on human food sources and pass on the same unhealthy foraging habits to their own cubs.

You can support black bears during their reproductive process by giving females with cubs plenty of space and by securing attractants and human food sources that may lead new cubs down a path toward conflict. It is a shared responsibility to keep Tahoe’s bears healthy, safe and wild!

For more information about black bear reproduction and cubs, visit January / February Is Birthday Time for Bears. For more information on coexisting with bears, visit BearWise.org or TahoeBears.org.

To report human-bear conflicts:

In California, contact the CDFW at (916) 358-2917 or report online using the Wildlife Incident Reporting (WIR) system at apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir.
Non-emergency wildlife interactions in California State Parks can be reported to their public dispatch at (916) 358-1300.
In Nevada, contact the NDOW at (775) 688-BEAR (2327).
If the issue is an immediate threat, call the local sheriff’s department or 911.

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Media Contact:
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858

Factual Information About Lake Tahoe’s Black Bears

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:31:44 GMT

Keep Tahoe Bears Wild!

The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) is a collective of bear experts across federal, state and local agencies who study and understand bears and have devoted much of their professional lives to ensure the health and well-being of the Lake Tahoe Basin’s black bears. TIBT provides proven and scientifically backed information about the real issues and solutions for living and recreating in bear country.

Tahoe bears may at times seem like a unique bear species due to their general lack of fear and boldness around humans (habituation), but these black bears follow the usual biological patterns of black bears across California and Nevada. Whether living in or visiting bear country here at Lake Tahoe or beyond, this information should clarify what human actions are needed to help wild bears survive and thrive.

Secure Crawl Spaces

Web cam photos and videos of bears denning under homes can perpetuate the myth that property owners and residents should allow bears to den under homes and in crawl spaces. It can also encourage unwanted behavior such as laying out hay or other materials for bears. However, most homeowners don’t even know a bear is under or around their home until it has already established a makeshift den.

Bears often damage the insulation, exposing pipes to freezing temperatures or even damaging them in the process. Once a bear gets established, it can be difficult to make it leave. This increases the chances of human-bear conflict and habituated behavior.

Bears under homes need to be addressed by trained agency professionals as bears can be dangerous and unpredictable. If disturbed, mother bears with newborn cubs may abandon the den, orphaning the cubs in the process. For this reason, only a wildlife professional should evaluate the situation and offer advice to homeowners.

It’s important to remember that bears have evolved to comfortably survive winter without human help, so it is essential to board up all crawl spaces around homes to discourage bears from denning underneath. The TIBT video “Securing Your Crawl Space” will show you how to go about this.

Deny Access to Human Food and Trash

Black bears are very resilient and adaptive animals, and, as opportunistic omnivores, they will take advantage of any available food source, including human-provided foods like garbage. Their highly developed sense of smell allows them to find these food sources, even when locked in a vehicle or home, which in turn may lead bears into conflict with people.

It is true that bears need a lot of calories, especially in preparation for winter, but giving them handouts will not set them up to thrive. Repeated exposure to human foods can lead to food-conditioned bears which then view human homes and neighborhoods as reliable sources of food.

When mother bears teach their cubs to access human foods, they not only continue the cycle of human food-conditioning, but the cubs are much more prone to be involved in conflict, including being hit and killed by vehicles.

Consuming human food and garbage is incredibly unhealthy for bears because the high sugar content can increase tooth decay and painful abscesses. Intentionally feeding bears is illegal in both California and Nevada.

As omnivores, a bear’s diet is about 85% plant-based, with the remaining portion coming from consuming insects, small mammals and carrion. Bears should be allowed to fulfill their very important and vital ecological role as seed dispersers, predators and scavengers.

Get ‘BearWise’ to Keep Bears Wild

Black bears are smart. They have learned how to unscrew lids and open sliding glass and vehicle doors. They are also strong. In order to access food, they can peel a car door down from the top or break through a typical home door or window. Even after an incident like the 2021 Caldor Fire, where a huge swath of vegetation was burned in the Sierra Nevada mountains, wildlife biologists saw bears find natural ways to survive like the resilient omnivores that they are.

On rare occasions, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) must remove bears that are putting human life and property at risk. No one, including agency biologists who have dedicated their lives and careers to protecting bears, want this outcome. It is only used with great discretion and as a last resort.

Bears are large, strong animals and once they become conditioned to human foods or comfortable around people and human surroundings, they pose a significant threat to human safety. For these reasons it is very important for people to be educated and dedicated to being “BearWise.” Learn how at the BearWise website.

It’s also important to note that except in the case of the immediate protection of human life, the only people who can legally interact with wildlife are designated state agency representatives or law enforcement professionals.

Slow Down for Bears, Wildlife

It can be exciting to see a big, beautiful animal like a black bear in a neighborhood, but it is not where bears belong. Human-developed areas pose many dangers to bears, particularly busy roads with cars, which bears must cross in order to get to the unhealthy human food and garbage in developed areas.

By allowing bears to comfortably live in or pass through neighborhoods, the chances that they will get struck and killed by vehicles increases greatly. If a bear is in your neighborhood, encourage it to move on by scaring it away so that it can lead a safer life away from developed areas and conflict. Slow down for bears and other wildlife in the Tahoe Basin. For more information on bear-vehicle collisions, see the TIBT video “When Bears and Humans Collide”.

The TIBT is dedicated to creating the best environment for bears to thrive and remain wild in an ever-growing, ever-changing environment like the Lake Tahoe Basin. CDFW and NDOW should be the only point of contact for any bear-related incidents or questions. CDFW and NDOW have trained black bear experts who can help navigate any human-bear conflicts.

We encourage the public to visit our website, TahoeBears.org, for accurate, science-based information about bears. To report bear incidents or conflict in the Lake Tahoe Basin, use the following:

In California, contact CDFW at 916-358-2917 or report online using the Wildlife incident Reporting (WIR) System.
Non-emergency bear collisions in California State Parks can be reported to public dispatch at 916- 358-1300.
In Nevada, contact NDOW at 775-688-BEAR (2327).
If the issue is an emergency, call the local sheriff’s department or 911.

Thank you for helping keep Tahoe bears wild and safe!

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Media Contact:
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858

Wildlife Officers Determine Eureka Bear Death Was Not Poaching

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:47:44 GMT

Injured Bear Euthanized by Law Enforcement after Vehicle Strike

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has resolved public concern regarding reports of a poached bear in Eureka. Following a thorough investigation, officers determined the bear was not the victim of poaching but was instead humanely euthanized by law enforcement after sustaining severe injuries, likely from a vehicle strike.

On September 3, CDFW received a CALTIP report alleging two bears had been shot near Ridgewood Drive, south of Eureka. Neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots during the overnight hours of Aug. 30, and suspicions circulated about potential poaching. A responding CDFW wildlife officer interviewed witnesses and canvassed the area but found no bear carcasses or physical evidence.

Further investigation revealed that, in the early morning of August 31, law enforcement partners from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and California Highway Patrol (CHP) jointly responded to reports of an injured bear repeatedly entering the roadway on Ridgewood Drive. The animal displayed severe head trauma, walked in circles, and was unable to escape traffic. To relieve the animal’s suffering and to ensure public safety, CHP officers humanely euthanized the single adult male bear at approximately 4:30 a.m. Witness reports of three gunshots matched the number of rounds fired.

Interviews with multiple residents and officials confirmed that only one bear was involved. The carcass was removed on September 2 by Humboldt County Road Services. No evidence supports claims of a second bear or illegal poaching. CDFW thanks community members who report suspected poaching and polluting incidents, which play a vital role in protecting California’s natural resources.

CALTIP (Californians Turn In Poachers and Polluters) is a confidential program for reporting wildlife crimes. Anyone with information about potential violations is urged to call 1-888-334-CALTIP (888-334-2258), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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Media Contact:
Jen Benedet, CDFW Communications, (916) 202-4465

CDFW Announces Publication of the Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:46:09 GMT

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is proud to present the Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California.

The plan, an update to the 1998 Black Bear Management Plan, draws upon the latest scientific tools and methods to conserve, manage, and monitor black bear populations in California.

California is home to an estimated 60,000 black bears, among the largest populations in the United States, along with 40 million people. Management of this iconic species is complex, and opinions can sometimes vary on how best to ensure the health of this species and minimize human-wildlife conflict throughout the state.

“The Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California aims to balance the many diverse viewpoints about black bears while greatly enhancing our ability to ensure healthy populations in the future,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham.

The Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan was developed using the latest peer-reviewed scientific methods and a transparent public engagement process. A draft of the plan was released publicly one year ago and received comments and input from more than 5,000 individuals and groups, all of which CDFW worked to address in the final publication.

“This plan allows us to employ the best available science to understand populations and make informed management and regulatory decisions going forward to ensure black bears thrive into the future and can be enjoyed by all Californians,” said Arjun Dheer, CDFW’s Statewide Black Bear Coordinator.

The plan provides the foundation to meet two overarching goals:

Conserve and manage black bear populations that are ecologically functional, disease-resilient, and genetically diverse statewide and regionally, and conserve and enhance their habitats.

Provide opportunities for black bear hunting, viewing, and public education; minimize human-black bear conflict; consider animal welfare in black bear conservation and management; and be inclusive of all Californians in black bear conservation and management decisions.

Pursuant to these goals, CDFW is conducting intensive population monitoring of black bears across California using GPS collars, den checks, camera traps, hunter harvested tooth samples, and the collection of DNA samples from hair snare stations.

Due to California’s geographic size and ecological diversity, the Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan divides the state into nine Bear Conservation Regions where populations will be monitored and managed independently of other regions.

Publication of the plan does not change any hunting regulations or bear harvest limits. Any changes to hunting regulations or the statewide annual bear harvest limit will be conducted through the California Fish and Game Commission public process.

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Media Contacts:
Arjun Dheer, CDFW Wildlife Branch, (916) 268-2376
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858