When a bear crashed a party at a restaurant in Lake Tahoe, it sent all the guests into a frenzy. 

What happened?

ABC7 News shared on its Instagram (@abc7newsbayarea) that a "very big bear" had shown up at the Sunnyside Restaurant and Lodge in Tahoe City, California, in late July.

The sighting prompted guests to move to the restaurant's top floor while the bear strolled along the shoreline before heading back into the woods.

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"Eye-opening to the large crowd but no people or bears were hurt," the news station added, giving a shoutout to Victor Parra (@victorparra_official_) for the footage.

While the situation was concerning for the guests, many commenters seemed to side with the bear, given the restaurant's location between the water and forest in an area known for bears.

"It's not crazy. You guys are in his literal home," one person said.

"No. People showed up to his living room. Team bear," someone else commented.

Why is the bear sighting at Lake Tahoe concerning?

More bears are being spotted near homes, restaurants, and other places humans occupy, likely because the smells of food and opportunities for easy meals attract them.

While Lake Tahoe is considered bear country, with around "84 bears per 100 square kilometers in the Lake Tahoe Basin" per Patch, seeing bears in human territory is always unsettling. Unfortunately, encounters between bears and humans in the area are quite common because of the overlap between bear habitat and civilization.

According to the New Yorker, people reported nearly 700 run-ins with bears each year between 2017 and 2020, and that number increased to over 1,400 from 2021 to 2022.

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In areas where bear and human worlds collide, especially if those areas have a high density of bears, it puts both species in danger.

If bears attack people, whether because of food-seeking behaviors, to protect their young, or out of aggression, they're usually euthanized. Luckily, the North American Bear Center explained that black bears are typically not aggressive, and attacks are rare.

But still, looking at the bigger picture, it's possible that the increase in bear sightings in populated areas could be at least partially attributed to the warming planet, increasing pressure on resources, and habitat destruction. As humans continue to encroach on bears' territory, it leaves the animals with fewer food sources and less land to inhabit, sometimes forcing them to seek resources closer to people. 

What's being done to reduce bear encounters?

Improved management practices in North America and parts of Asia have allowed bear populations to flourish, proving that conservation efforts like building wildlife crossings over highways and combating bear poaching pay off. Providing ample space for bears to roam is key to preventing human-wildlife conflicts and promoting greater biodiversity, which supports all forms of life.

If you visit Lake Tahoe, make sure to practice "bear awareness." This includes properly securing food and garbage by using bear-resistant containers, avoiding feeding bears, being aware of your surroundings, and carrying bear spray. You can report any bear encounters to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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