Mama bear killed after Tahoe attack, orphaning cubs, California officials say

A bear with a history of break-ins and human conflicts in South Lake Tahoe has been euthanized following an attack on a camper, California wildlife officials said.

The bear’s two 5-month-old cubs, now orphans, have been taken to a wildlife center for rehabilitation, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a June 24 blog post.

Their mother was euthanized Monday, June 23, by a California State Parks ranger, officials said. DNA testing confirmed it was the same bear in an attack a day earlier.

The bear entered a trailer at Eagle Point Campground within Emerald Bay State Park at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, June 22, officials said.

The woman inside banged pots and pans and screamed at the bear to try to frighten it away, officials said.

“Undeterred, the bear forced its way into the trailer and swiped at the camper, leaving her with cuts and bruises on her arms and hand,” the agency said in the release. The woman was later taken to a hospital.

Later that morning, the same bear tore open the door to a camper van with teenagers sleeping inside and harassed others at the campground, officials said.

Wildlife officers had already been trying to trap the bear since June 17 following multiple break-ins into homes and vehicles along with conflicts at the campground, officials said.

On June 10, the bear entered a vehicle at the campground with a child strapped into a child seat inside, officials said.

Multiple agencies also tried to drive the bear away from areas frequented by people, officials said.

“As wildlife professionals who devote our careers to the health and well-being of California’s fish and wildlife species, euthanasia is a measure of last resort,” Morgan Kilgour, regional manager for the agency, said in the release.

Officials hope the bear’s two cubs “can be rehabilitated and returned to the wild,” the agency said.

“Bear cubs learn everything from their mothers – good and bad behavior alike,” Kilgour said in the release. “A mother bear that constantly searches human-occupied areas for unnatural food sources, breaks into homes and vehicles teaches this behavior to her cubs and perpetuates another generation of human-bear conflict.”

What to do if you see a bear

Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.

There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.

• Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.
• Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.
• Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.
• Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.
• Hike in groups: A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.
• Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.
• Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.
• Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.
• Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.
• Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.

This article by Don Sweeney was first published by The Sacramento Bee on 25 June 2025. Lead Image: A stock image of a bear and her cubs. Getty Images.

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