Govind Tekale
In South Lake Tahoe, a mother bear and her cub found themselves at the center of a heated conflict between wildlife officials and local advocates. The bear, nicknamed “Hope,” along with her cub “Bounce,” triggered a community mobilization after California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) approved her for potential lethal removal (authorized for euthanasia) following a series of home entries.
A Gas Stove and a Death Warrant
On August 21, 2025, Hope and Bounce entered a vacation rental on Butler Avenue in South Lake Tahoe through a pushed-in unlatched window. Inside, the bear accidentally turned on a gas stove, creating a potentially dangerous situation. This incident became the tipping point after DNA evidence linked Hope to at least a dozen previous home break-ins in the area.
The BEAR League, a non-profit organization based in the Lake Tahoe basin dedicated to “People Living in Harmony with Bears,” sprang into action. Members began monitoring, protecting, and hazing the bears away from neighborhoods after learning of CDFW’s approval for potential lethal removal of Hope.
“She has been very successful in obtaining trash that was set out in non-bear-proof or non-functioning containers (like it was an invitation to come and have a picnic) but she hasn’t entered any homes recently,” wrote the BEAR League in a Facebook post on August 29th.
Not Breaking In, Just Walking In
The BEAR League points to human behavior as the primary issue. They found “unlocked vehicles with food inside, trash outside in non-bear proof garbage cans, doors and windows open and/or unlocked on unoccupied homes, bird feeders, non-native fruit trees with an abundance of apples, cherries etc.” They also received reports of people feeding the bears.
“She’s rarely ‘breaking in’, instead she is most of the time simply walking into unsecured homes—meeting no resistance and knowing there is plenty of food inside,” the BEAR League explained.
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An All-You-Can-Eat Bear Buffet
The problem extends beyond a single bear family. In South Lake Tahoe, garbage day creates opportunities for bears to access food waste. The BEAR League shared photos of overturned garbage cans, describing them as “practically an all-you-can-eat bear buffet” despite being labeled as “bear-resistant.” They emphasized that unless humans properly latch the cans and ensure all garbage is secured, bears will continue to be attracted to these food sources.
“Make no mistake here. The problem is not the bears. It is the humans who cannot be bothered to secure their garbage or their homes. If this scene continues every Friday, bears will continue to die. It’s just that simple,” stated the BEAR League.
Community Response and Bear Demographics
The situation sparked significant community concern. Residents called the BEAR League’s hotline seeking protection for the bears, with some confronting CDFW staff directly.
“We had countless calls from residents begging us to ‘….come and protect our Mama Bear and her Cub. Please! Don’t let them kill her!'” reported the BEAR League.
California hosts an estimated 30,000-40,000 black bears, with around 500 residing in the Tahoe Basin. Female bears with cubs sometimes den under homes as a safety strategy, bringing them into closer contact with humans.
A Broader Bear Challenge
The BEAR League said there were several other bear families with dependent cubs also entering homes in the South Shore area, raising concerns about whether these families would also face euthanasia.
This isn’t the first high-profile bear case in the region. Previous controversies involved bears nicknamed “Natalie” (1998) and “Victor” (2024, Mammoth), both eventually euthanized despite public outcry. Relocation attempts often fail as bears frequently return to the Tahoe Basin where food is easily accessible.
Bear Management Evolution
California’s approach to bear management has evolved. CDFW’s 2022 Black Bear Policy prioritizes non-lethal measures before considering euthanasia. The state also updated its Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan in 2025—the first major revision in over two decades—to incorporate more science-based management approaches.
For Hope, CDFW approved lethal removal and said her cub could be transferred to a permitted rehabilitation facility if necessary; after public pressure, officials temporarily paused immediate removal and said they would monitor the pair instead of euthanizing the sow on the spot.
Living With Bears: The Path Forward
Wildlife experts recommend several strategies for reducing human-bear conflicts:
- Secure trash in properly latched bear-resistant containers
- Lock doors and windows, especially when homes are unoccupied
- Remove bird feeders and other food attractants
- Consider electric mats or wires as deterrents (available through CDFW’s loaner program)
- Never feed bears, intentionally or unintentionally
Some communities have implemented stricter measures. A resident from North Georgia commented on the BEAR League’s post: “We have HUGE (5-10k) fines for any kind of bird feeder, trash left out (trash collected in one area), feeding bears, etc. We really want to protect our bears here and are serious about it.”
The Current Situation
As of August 31, 2025, Hope remains approved for potential lethal removal but is not being actively trapped, with CDFW reporting it would continue monitoring the sow and cub. BEAR League and supporters asked about sanctuary transfer options; there was no public record of an approved transfer to an out-of-state sanctuary as of Aug. 31.
The BEAR League continues its vigilance: “BEAR League members have been watching, protecting and hazing them away from neighborhoods almost constantly since CDFW’s authorization for potential lethal removal went into play about a week or so ago.”
Hope and Bounce’s story involved a bear entering a Butler Avenue vacation rental and turning on a gas stove, DNA evidence linking the bear to multiple home entries, the BEAR League mobilizing to protect the bears from lethal removal, and CDFW currently monitoring the situation while maintaining authorization for potential lethal removal.
