2 Tahoe residents hurt by hungry bear who got into their home

By Cecilio Padilla

A pair of Stateline residents had a dangerously close encounter with a bear at their Lake Tahoe area home this week.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife said, early Wednesday morning, an 87-year-old Stateline resident went into his garage and ran into a bear that had gotten inside while looking for food.

It appears that the man was scratched on his hand by the bear as the resident backed away, officials said.

The bear then reportedly followed the man into his home – also scratching an 87-year-old woman who lived at the home as well.

Both residents’ injuries were minor, emergency responders said.  

Still, wildlife officials noted that the incident underscored the importance for bear country residents to properly secure food and trash.

“We are grateful that these individuals sustained minor injuries and are okay,” said Shawn Espinosa, Game Division Administrator for NDOW, in a statement. “Bears are still experiencing hyperphagia, or a phase where they build up as many calories as possible before going into their dens for winter.”

Wildlife officials have a number of safety guidelines residents should keep top of mind to prevent encounters similar to the Stateline bear incident.