‘The deputies could barely believe their eyes’

According to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Instagram, a local bear may have a taste for strawberry ice cream.

What’s happening?

California’s El Dorado County Sheriff (@eldoradosheriff) posted a photo of a strange sight: a bear behind the counter of an ice cream shop. 

Officers were sent to the Camp Richardson ice cream shop in South Lake Tahoe early in the morning on August 17. According to the sheriff’s office, “The deputies could barely believe their eyes as they saw a large bear behind the counter of the shop.” 

The bear left the shop, but not before showing interest in some strawberry ice cream. 

The sheriff’s office post noted that there was little damage and minimal mess: “Thankfully, Fuzzy the bear caused barely any property damage and there was barely any cleanup.”

Why are wildlife encounters concerning?

An obvious concern with stories like this is that the animal might attack a person. 

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Many violent wildlife encounters are provoked. However, as animals lose their habitats and civilization encroaches on former wilderness areas, they must exist in closer proximity to people. This can change behaviors.

In July, a woman was attacked by a bear with a nearby cub outside her home in rural Wisconsin. A few weeks later, a woman in Canada was attacked by a black bear. Like other wild animals, bears are most likely to attack when they feel threatened or when something threatens their young.

Beyond intentional human expansion, animals worldwide are witnessing changes in their habitats due to rising global temperatures. Burning dirty energy contributes pollution to the air that traps heat, bringing temperatures up around the world and altering ecosystems. 

What’s being done about wildlife encounters?

A 2025 study in BioScience described the threats that broad shifts in temperature and weather patterns pose to Earth’s wildlife. One way to help preserve these habitats and give the animals their space is to transition to cleaner energy sources. 

Increasing global temperatures and the corresponding effects can reshape not only the physical Earth, but also how we interact with it. 

The bear’s ice cream escapade received close to 30,000 likes on Instagram by early September, and commenters made jokes about the bear’s strong work ethic. 

If you live in an area where you may have an encounter with wildlife, look into safety tips for interacting with wild animals. In general, do not startle the animal and give it plenty of space. If particular types of animals live in your area, such as bears, research tips for how to approach interactions with them.

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