How you can help save bears’ lives in Yosemite

YOSEMITE, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – After finding scat near tent cabins in Yosemite, park rangers advise the public why it is so important that people keep their food items locked and how that could help to save the bears.

Park rangers say they found scat near tent cabins at Curry Village in Yosemite on Tuesday morning. The discovery, rangers say, happened after a bear got into the trash left out in the area.

Rangers say when a bear gets human food or trash, it can seek high-calorie food and lose its natural fear of people.

They warn that just one instance of getting human food can alter a bear’s behavior, eventually causing it to become persistently bold or aggressive in search of food.

Bears looking for human food and garbage can damage property and occasionally injure people.

To prevent this, park rangers encourage visitors to make sure their food, drinks, toiletries, and trash are not a trap that changes a bear’s behavior by keeping all trash and disposable items within arm’s reach, in a food locker that is latched, or inside car with windows closed, door locked, and food out of sight during daytime only.

Since 1998, people have improved their food storage, with park rangers say resulted in a 95% drop in negative human-bear interactions. By joining most visitors in following food storage regulations, everybody can actively help save bears’ lives.

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