A man from California recounted a harrowing experience with a black bear outside his Lake Tahoe vacation residence during the Fourth of July weekend. He used bear spray to avert the threatening situation, all of which was recorded on video.
Cortlandt Koerwitz, hailing from Sacramento, explained to KCRA 3 that the incident unfolded after his daughter noticed the bear scavenging through a trash can in the garage of their home.
Koerwitz quickly armed himself with bear spray and ventured outside to assess the situation. However, it dramatically intensified when the bear suddenly charged towards him.
Overlooking the scenic Lake Tahoe Basin in California. During the Fourth of July celebrations, a Sacramento resident reported a black bear charging at him near his vacation home in this picturesque area. (Photo by Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“I caught sight of something in my peripheral vision, and it turned out to be the bear lunging at me. We were both taken by surprise, and I instinctively deployed the spray. Unfortunately, some of the mist hit me and got in my eyes,” Koerwitz remarked.
Video obtained by KCRA 3 shows Koerwitz approaching the garage before the bear suddenly charges toward him. Moments later, he deploys the bear spray, and the bear turns away and runs off.
Koerwitz told the station that bears frequently wander through the Lake Tahoe area in search of food and often get into trash cans or unlocked vehicles, but he described the aggressive behavior in this encounter as unusual.
A black bear sits in a tree near a home in the Lake Tahoe area on Dec. 14, 2006. Wildlife officials say black bears are common throughout the Tahoe Basin and encourage residents to secure garbage and other food attractants to reduce conflicts. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are common throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin and are often drawn into neighborhoods by unsecured garbage and other easily accessible food sources. Wildlife officials encourage residents and visitors to secure trash, keep food out of vehicles and remove other attractants to reduce conflicts between bears and people.
The Lake Tahoe Basin is home to a healthy black bear population, and wildlife officials routinely remind residents and tourists that bears are naturally curious and possess an exceptional sense of smell, making improperly stored food and garbage a frequent source of human-bear encounters.
Black bear in tall grass (iStock)
Koerwitz said he hopes sharing his experience serves as a reminder for residents and visitors to secure their garbage, remove food from vehicles and remain alert when spending time in bear country.
News Media reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for comment. A department spokesperson said the inquiry had been forwarded to the Tahoe wildlife conflict team.