| Click the button below to search for articles... View News Items from prior months... June 2021 July 2020 June 2016 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 July 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 November 2012 October 2012 August 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 November 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 October 2010 September 2010 February 2010 January 2010 | CDFW and the BEAR League Remind Tahoe Residents to Secure Doors, Windows, Crawl Spaces from Bears With the cold winter months just around the corner, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is partnering with the BEAR League to urge Tahoe residents, businesses and cabin owners to remember to bear-proof their properties. This time of year, black bears are trying to consume as many calories as possible and are looking for that ideal spot for their winter hibernation. Unfortunately, bears are often attracted to crawl spaces under people's homes because they are quiet, secluded, dark, dry and out of the wind. "As far as a bear is concerned, an opening to a house's crawl space is an open invitation to set up a den in an ideal location," warns Marc Kenyon, CDFW's human-wildlife conflict program coordinator. "Bears are incredibly strong and can fit into very small places. We've seen bears gain access to well-stocked cupboards from under the floorboards." Ann Bryant, director of the BEAR League, estimates that at least 50 or more bears hibernate under homes or cabins in the Lake Tahoe area every winter, and to complicate matters, they sometimes give birth to their young there. "If a bear gets under your home, there is a chance it could turn into three or four bears in January when the females give birth," says Bryant. "No one feels right about evicting a mother bear and her tiny cubs out into the cold in the dead of winter." There are several things residents, rental property owners and businesses can do to ensure this doesn't happen: 1) Secure all crawl space doors and opening so bears don't move in for the winter. Inspect the entire foundation of your home or other buildings, including under decks and porches, for even the smallest opening. 2) Remove all food - including pet food, canned food, teas, spices and bottles of soda- from homes that will not be occupied for the winter. Leave nothing inside your cabin that has a scent or looks edible. 3) Do not place rodent control bait in or under your home as it has proven to be a very powerful bear attractant. 4) Clean your house thoroughly with ammonia-based products before closing it up for the winter. 5) Close and lock all doors and windows even if you're going to be away from home for only a short period of time. Tahoe bears have learned how to open them without breaking in. This applies not only to vacant properties but to year-round residences as well. 6) Consider electrifying doors and windows, especially on homes without dual-pane glass and homes that will be vacant for a period of time. For more information, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/bear.html and www.savebears.org. ### Published: 06/22/12 |