PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A black bear was caught on camera taking refuge from the weekend crowds under a stairwell of a popular North Lake Tahoe restaurant.
The Placer County Sheriff's Office, the California Fish & Wildlife Dept. and the Bear League were called to respond to Za's Lakefront.
But Ann Bryant with the Bear League says the bear wasn't a threat, it was just hiding out and probably hungry.
"There's a lot of people in that area, and the bear just wants to dive under something and be safe," said Bryant.
The natural beauty of Lake Tahoe attracts people to the area and their food attracts the black bears.
The bears are trying to gain weight before hibernating, so it's important for people in the area not to keep any food in their vehicles, keep windows and doors locked, and crawlspace openings sealed tight.
Keep in mind, if a bear gets into a crawl space, it can get costly.
"That includes tearing off the ductwork, ripping all the insulation down, bumping into the water pipes and the gas lines. So right now is when we're starting to encourage everybody seal up those crawlspace openings," said Bryant.
The good news is black bears aren't usually aggressive toward people.
"We co-exist, it just takes a little intelligence on our part," said Bryant.