CDFW News

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

Wildfire Impacts Lead to South Chimineas Unit Closure

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:57:19 GMT

Prescribed Burn Treatment Helped Keep Flames at Bay on Carrizo Plains

Due to impacts of the Madre Fire that burned last month on CDFW’s Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve (ER) in San Luis Obispo County, certain hunting opportunities will not take place.

While other units of the ER were spared severe wildfire damage, thanks in part to a prescribed burn conducted in partnership with CAL FIRE in February 2025, impacts to the South Chimineas Unit call for it to be closed to all public access through spring 2026.

“The closure of the South Chimineas Unit will allow the habitat to recover,” said Brandon Swanson, CDFW’s unit biologist for San Luis Obispo County. “The closure will also give the wildlife on the South Chimineas Unit a break after the disturbances of wildfire that would be compounded by the pressures of hunting. The potential for dead trees to fall is also a public safety concern.”

Drive-on access for elk hunting on the ER within the La Panza hunt zone will be allowed on the North Chimineas Unit through the normal draw from public hunt tag holders, but not on the South Chimineas Unit.

The following South Chimineas Unit special hunts planned for this fall and winter have been canceled:

Sept. 12-14: Chimineas Junior Only Deer Hunt
Nov. 1: Chimineas Junior Only Quail Hunt
Dec. 13: South Chimineas Ranch Family and Mobility Impaired Upland Hunts
Jan. 3, 2026: Chimineas Upland Game Hunt
Jan. 3, 2026: Chimineas Mobility Impaired Quail Hunt

Chimineas Ranch special hunts still planned (applications due Aug. 11):

Sept. 6: Chimineas Ranch Family and Mobility Impaired Upland Hunts

To apply for these special hunts sill taking place, go to the special hunt online application instructions (PDF).

An estimated 25,000 acres of CDFW’s Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve burned in the Madre Fire. The February 2025 prescribed burn conducted in partnership with CAL FIRE on the American Unit of the ER helped limit the spread of the Madre Fire. More information on the impact of this prescribed burn can be found in CAL FIRE's Madre Fire Fuels Effectiveness Report.

Nearly all of the tule elk’s home range on the ecological reserve saw flames, but tule elk are capable of moving great distances — a herd some 50 strong was sighted within the burned area on the South Chimineas Unit. CDFW buildings and other infrastructure such as wildlife watering wells and water storage tanks saw little damage due to firefighters’ efforts and weed abatement work by CDFW.

The 38,900-acre Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve consists of oak and juniper woodland, chapparal, grassland and desert and coastal scrub, most of which is expected to recover from fire impacts and benefit from the elimination of invasive grasses.

For more information about the Carrizo Plain Ecological Reserve, visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Carrizo-Plains-ER.

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Media Contact:
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120

Southern California Pacific Sardine Take Restrictions in Place Due to Public Health Hazard

Fri, 09 May 2025 15:01:29 GMT

State health agencies determined that Pacific sardine sampled off Southern California contained elevated levels of domoic acid and recommended a fishery restriction for Southern California for the commercial (PDF) and recreational (PDF) take of sardine for human consumption in the area.

Following this recommendation, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has enacted a restriction (PDF) for the commercial and recreational take of Pacific sardine for human consumption in the area south of Point Conception (34⁰ 27.000’ N. lat.) to the California/Mexico border. Take of Pacific sardine for live bait is allowed in the commercial fishery and the recreational fishery can still take and use Pacific sardine as bait.

The current fishery restrictions only apply to Pacific sardine, which has been found to have high levels of domoic acid in samples. This restriction does not apply to other finfish (rockfish, halibut, white seabass, yellowtail, tuna, and others). It is always recommended to consume only the cleaned, skinned, fillets of fish when there are restrictions or advisories for other species. Cooking methods that avoid combining the eaten portion with other body parts are also recommended. More information on current health advisories is available on the California Department of Public Health website. For questions regarding sampling and testing programs, including current test results, contact the California Department of Public Health.

CDFW will continue to coordinate with the state health agencies, California Department of Public Health and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to test domoic acid levels in Pacific sardine as well as other fish species to determine when the restriction in Southern California can safely be lifted. State and federal laws prohibit the commercial distribution of seafood products for human consumption above federal action levels.

Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin produced by Pseudo-nitzschia, a naturally occurring single-celled marine alga, under certain ocean conditions. Domoic acid can accumulate in fish without the organism itself becoming ill. At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and can in some cases be fatal.

Information will be updated on CDFW’s fishery information and health advisories website.

To get the latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid, call CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Information Line at (831) 649-2883.

For the latest consumption warnings, call the California Department of Public Health’s Biotoxin information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.

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Media Contacts:
Steve Gonzalez, CDFW Communications, (916) 804-1714
John Ugoretz, CDFW Marine Region, (562) 338-3068

California Enters Next Phase of Wolf Conservation Plan as State’s Gray Wolf Population Continues to Expand

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 11:25:47 GMT

CDFW Working to Conserve Species and Protect Ranchers

As California’s gray wolf population grows, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is advancing the state’s management of this species and further supporting communities where they are known to reside.

At the end of 2024, there were seven known wolf packs in the state and four additional areas of known wolf activity. Most of those packs are in northeastern California, although one is in the southern Sierra Nevada.

Five of the seven packs met CDFW’s definition of a “breeding pair” in 2024, meaning two adults and two or more pups surviving until the end of the year. Because CDFW has documented at least four breeding pairs for two consecutive years, California is now in “Phase 2” of wolf management, as specified by the state’s 2016 Conservation Plan for Gray Wolves in California.

The 2016 plan was an important milestone for CDFW and the state of California. Over a span of one and a half years and more than 40 meetings, CDFW convened and collaborated with multiple organizations, agencies, and local governments to develop the plan. This massive undertaking across diverse interests resulted in the first-ever conservation plan that still guides species management today. The plan includes the list of those invited to participate in its development

In Phase 2, as outlined in the conservation plan, CDFW plans to take the following actions:

Initiate a review to evaluate the status of gray wolves in the state. This will include an opportunity for tribal and public input, and independent peer review.

Evaluate legal pathways under the California Endangered Species Act and the Federal Endangered Species Act to potentially issue permits allowing for more aggressive forms of hazing in specific situations. Also known as “less-than-lethal harassment,” examples include the use of tools and techniques such as firearms discharging nonlethal ammunitions or the use of motorized equipment to follow or pursue a wolf to modify wolf activity or presence near livestock.

Additional actions planned by CDFW in the coming weeks and months include:

Release of an online tool to provide location information for GPS-collared wolves. This tool will greatly facilitate CDFW’s efforts, as guided by the Conservation Plan, to provide timely information regarding wolf activity in the vicinity of livestock production.

Release of CDFW’s first annual report detailing its wolf conservation and management activities and summarizing information on California’s wolves. This initial report will summarize information from 2015 – 2024.

CDFW is already taking action to monitor and track gray wolves, investigate livestock depredation and support reduced human-wildlife conflict with gray wolves. Those actions include:

Continuing to accept applications and issuing compensation payments to livestock producers who have had confirmed killed or injured livestock, or probable killed or injured livestock, by wolves through the Wolf Livestock Compensation Program. During development of this program, CDFW convened a stakeholder working group of interested parties with diverse perspectives, experience and expertise to gather information and provide input. In 2023, during early implementation of the program, CDFW conducted several technical assistance workshops with county agency partners to help producers understand the application process. From 2022 through early 2024, a pilot program compensated eligible producers for direct livestock loss, for the indirect impacts of wolf presence, and costs for nonlethal deterrence. Since late 2024, the program has paid producers for direct losses. To date, through both programs, CDFW has awarded or approved $3.1 million in compensation. The “three-prongs” approach makes this program the most comprehensive in the nation.

Continuing to monitor the status of individual wolf packs, investigate areas of known or suspected wolf activity to search for new packs, and GPS-collar wolves in those packs without collared wolves. In 2024, CDFW spent 203 staff days in the field attempting to capture and collar wolves. In the first part of 2025, CDFW has been able to collar and release 12 gray wolves in northern California. There are now more satellite-collared wolves in California than ever before, which is expected to improve understanding and management of the species in the state.

Continuing to reach out to and engage with the public: CDFW is in regular communication and coordination with livestock producers, county agriculture departments, private timberland managers, federal agencies, tribes and conservation organizations. Ongoing communication also occurs in counties with known wolves and new areas of wolf activity including county boards of supervisors, agricultural commissioners, farm services advisers, local cattlemen’s associations, and Farm Bureau boards. In 2024, CDFW participated in 34 community engagement events to inform the public about ongoing wolf conservation efforts in California.

Continuing research collaborations such as the California Wolf Project (CAWP) to address key scientific questions about California’s wolves, including their diet, habitat use, relationships with other wildlife and patterns of livestock conflict. In 2025, the CAWP released its 2024 annual report. The research helps augment monitoring for future management actions and helps the public and stakeholders understand the process of wolf recovery through an evidence-based approach.

Continuing habitat improvements for native prey species. CDFW will continue to partner with tribes and conservation organizations on habitat improvements and monitoring for wolf prey species, including deer, elk and pronghorn. Over the last 11 years, these efforts have funded over $15 million in monitoring and habitat improvements such as guzzler installations, conifer removal and meadow restoration in the northern region of the state alone.

Continuing to investigate livestock depredations. CDFW is actively engaged with livestock producers investigating loss of livestock due to suspected wolf depredation. In 2024, CDFW participated in or worked with federal and local authorities and livestock producers to conduct 79 investigations. Over 80% of all investigations were conducted on the day loss was reported.

CDFW’s Law Enforcement Division (LED) will continue to investigate and evaluate any reports of undesired or abnormal wolf behavior that may represent threats to public safety. Though these cases remain rare, both California state and federal law recognize the need to allow for human protection against animal attacks. Both provide the legal framework to allow individuals to take reasonable action to protect themselves or others from a direct and imminent threat from an animal. LED will work with partner agencies to appropriately and quickly respond to such incidents.

LED, alongside CDFW wildlife biologists, dedicates numerous staff hours and resources to supporting wolf conservation. Wildlife officers have jurisdiction to investigate the death of California wolves; they take these investigations seriously and pursue every lead to determine the cause of death and whether a crime has occurred. In the last five years, CDFW wildlife officers have conducted eight investigations into gray wolf deaths, as well as spent nearly 1,000 staff hours in the forensics lab processing 1,693 samples.

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Media Contact:
Katie Talbot, CDFW Communications, (916) 204-1381

CDFW Offers Guidance on How to Help Wildlife During Wildfire Emergencies

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 15:05:40 GMT

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has issued guidance on how best to help wildlife during major fire events such as those taking place currently in Los Angeles County.

CDFW is appreciative of every person who has reached out wanting to help wild animals in California. It’s important to remember that California’s native wildlife are incredibly resilient and best left alone or assisted by trained professionals.

Who to Contact

If you find an orphaned, sick or injured wild animal after a fire event, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your local CDFW regional wildlife program for guidance. These wild animals often have serious injuries that require specialized care and treatment by a trained wildlife professional.

Dangers and Risks

Wild animals can be dangerous. Wildlife that are fed by humans often lose their natural fear of people and can become bolder or more aggressive. Do not attempt to capture or handle a wild animal.
Wild animals can cause injury or harm. Any displaced or distressed wild animal can cause injury to humans and pets. If you encounter a wild animal, provide an escape route, and move to a safe location. It will likely leave on its own.
Feeding wildlife can cause them harm. Providing unnatural food and water sources may encourage a wild animal to stay in burned areas. This places them at risk for burns, other injuries, and exposure to harsh chemicals and smoke.
Feeding wildlife can spread disease. Many wildlife diseases are transferred through close or direct contact between animals. Wild animals that gather around feeding stations or artificial water sources can spread diseases to each other. Wildlife can also transmit diseases or parasites to people and pets.

Preventing Human-Wildlife Conflict

Do not provide food or water to wildlife. Feeding wildlife does more harm than good. Certain wildlife species such as black bears, bobcats, coyotes, deer, and mountain lions can be displaced into urban areas after a fire.
Do not attempt to rehabilitate wild animals if you are not a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. This places humans, pets and wildlife at risk. An untrained person may unintentionally prolong suffering and reduce the chance of the wild animal being able to return to the wild.

How CDFW is Helping in Southern California

CDFW is actively monitoring the intake of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife.
CDFW is providing support and coordination to wildlife rehabilitation facilities affected by fire events.
CDFW is responding to public inquiries directly regarding potentially displaced wildlife.

How You Can Help

Volunteer for a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility. Contact individual wildlife rehabilitators to determine if they need volunteers.
Donate directly to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility.
Contribute to the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund using California state tax form (Line 439). All funds are provided to eligible wildlife rehabilitators. 
Use the CDFW Wildlife Mortality Reporting System to report dead wildlife
Use the CDFW Human-Wildlife Conflicts Toolkit web page for information on how to minimize human-wildlife conflicts.

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Media Contacts:
Katie Talbot, CDFW Communications, (916) 204-1381
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858