500lb bear named Yogi who has been causing havoc in Lake Tahoe divides residents

California wildlife authorities are facing complaints from residents in the resort town of Lake Tahoe of a 500-pound black bear named Yogi who’s messing up more than picnic baskets in the area.  

The bear has caused over 150 calls to law enforcement and wildlife personnel in the area of late.   

‘This one individual bear has been linked to property damage at 38 different properties at least,’ said Peter Tira from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to KCRA 3 in Sacramento.

Authorities add that the curvy cub has caused ‘extensive property damage and forcefully entered several homes – including occupied homes.’ 

Wildlife officials have tried to tamper Yogi’s wave of destruction by setting up traps but have been unable to contain him.   

Yogi, a 500lb bear terrorizing a community in Lake Tahoe

A home in California that has faced Yogi’s wrath

‘The trapping activity is a measure of last resort to capture and euthanize a specific and what we call a severely habituated or human-food conditioned black bear,’ Tira noted.

There was outrage from residents over the bear hunt and even attempts to scare the bear away from the area by playing noisy music or even spray painting the phrase ‘Bear Killer’ on the trap.

A pro-bear activist group, The BEAR League, has been working with wildlife officials to try and get Yogi to a safe new home.  

‘The BEAR League reached out to the director of an excellent out-of-state wildlife sanctuary who agreed he has room and would be very willing to give this bear a permanent home,’ said executive director Ann Bryant. ‘We notified [the California Department of Fish and Wildlife] on Tuesday morning asking that this option be seriously considered rather than killing the bear.’

Bryant notes, however, that sanctuaries are not a full-time solution and wants Tahoe residents to practice prevention.  

‘Homeowners and visitors need to do their part to keep the bears out of trouble so they can live wild and free,’ she said. ‘The various reasons that the bears get into trouble is because people do this and they teach the bears that’s a good way to make a living.’ 

There was outrage from residents over the bear hunt and even attempts to scare the bear away from the area by playing noisy music or even spray painting the phrase ‘Bear Killer’ on the trap

A pro-bear activist group, The BEAR League, has been working with wildlife officials to try and get Yogi to a safe new home

The bear has caused caused ‘extensive property damage and forcefully entered several homes – including occupied homes’