Bears are really one of nature’s marvels. These tough and hardy forest dwellers are omnivores who take a Jack-of-all-trades approach to food: they’ll eat pretty much anything that’s available. They’re also efficient: rather than waste energy during the winter when food is scarce, they simply sleep through the entire season! While bears are not particularly aggressive, they nevertheless inspire a lot of fear in people. Given that bears are strong, have big, sharp teeth, and claws that can shred you, they certainly deserve a lot of respect.
As the human footprint has grown, bears and people have inevitably come into collision. Where people live, there’s usually plenty of food around and that attracts bears who live in any nearby woods. Chances are you fervently hope never to have to go dumpster-diving. But for a bear, a dumpster behind a restaurant (or a trash can outside a home) is a treasure trove of goodies. Bears have an incredibly acute sense of smell and better eyesight than you’d guess: if there’s anything tasty around, a bear will find it. They love doughnuts, incidentally: sweet like honey but without all the bee stings!
The video that’s posted below proves that encounters between bears and humans can actually be pretty funny. A young bear had wandered into a suburban neighborhood near Lake Tahoe, no doubt looking for goodies. At the same time the bear sauntered by a garage door, a man was about to come around the corner — a scenario right out of a cartoon! The moment when they see each other is absolutely hilarious: the man practically jumps out of his skin while the bear does a quick 180.
Once you’ve recovered from your fit of laughter, take a moment to let us know how you liked this suburban wildlife encounter. We’d love to hear from you in the comments sections below the video and don’t forget to like and share!