Bear naked truth: 500-pound black bear wreaks havoc on Lake Tahoe homeowners

Some Lake Tahoe residents might bear a grudge against a trio of animal home invaders.

The bear, who has garnered international attention, is at least one of three to have caused “extensive property damage” and entered at least 28 homes in search of food around the Tahoe Keys neighborhood in recent months, according to DNA evidence reviewed by California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.


“Considering new evidence suggesting multiple bears are responsible for recent incidents, CDFW will work in coming weeks and months to trap bears in the South Lake Tahoe area, tag them, collect evidence for genetic analysis, and then release them into suitable habitat,” the department wrote in a statement on Thursday.

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The erroneous belief that the invasions were all perpetrated by a single bear, disproven by DNA collected from several recent incidents, is likely due to visual observation, the department said.


Previously, the department was under the assumption that Hank the Tank was the sole perpetrator, prompting some concerns that the bear should be euthanized. The department said in a statement earlier this month it received 152 reports tied to the bear, who was easily “identifiable due to its exceptionally large size.”

At the time, the department said that the bear was “food-habituated,” meaning the animal associates people with access to food. People in the community reported that the bear was breaking in through their front doors and garages to gain entry into their homes.

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The department has said that euthanization is always the last step when mediating human-bear conflict and called on Tahoe Keys residents to take preventive measures, such as “bear-proofing” their homes. California’s black bear policy also outlines guidelines for bear management in the state.

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