Today marks the beginning of the Labor Day long weekend. Despite the early season storm coming to the Tahoe region, I anticipate many people from the Bay Area and other parts will come to Tahoe to enjoy its beautiful blue waters and pine forests.
Many people will come by car, so we’d like to remind you about precious wildlife like deer, bears, and many other animals with whom we have to share this area.
If you’re not from Tahoe, you may not know that about 300+ bears live here, and they sometimes come to towns in search of food and can cross the roads and highways. This can result in unfortunate bear-car collisions. For the past month, there were ~20 bears hit by cars around Lake Tahoe, according to SFGate.
Here are a few things any Tahoe local would ask you for:
- Please be a good citizen and SLOW DOWN in the Tahoe area, especially on the local highways like 267, 89, and 28 in North Tahoe and 50 and 88 in South Tahoe.
- Please keep your eyes on the road constantly, especially during dusk and dawn hours when wildlife is more likely to be present.
- Please don’t leave the trash on the beautiful Tahoe beaches and trails, especially food-related waste! Please pack it out and throw it into the bear-resistant trash cans located along the trails and near the parking lots.
- If you rent an Airbnb and plane to park outside, please don’t leave any food in your car, especially at night.
- Please take out the trash into the bear-proof trash bins and make sure to secure the lid afterward.
- If you’re returning from Burning Man, please take the dusty trash and bicycles with you; don’t throw them in the area or behind the local businesses.
If an unfortunate event and you hit a bear or deer, PLEASE call CHP, NHP, or a Bear League! Please don’t leave an injured animal in the middle of the road! If it is the cub, the mama bear won’t leave the area and will try to “wake up” her cub, which could result in another collision.
Please CARE for Tahoe BEARS!
Enjoy the beauty of Lake Tahoe and have fun!
