Black bear raiding a garbage can at Lake Tahoe garage triggers dramatic wildlife encounter

A California man says a black bear charged at him outside his Lake Tahoe vacation home over the Fourth of July holiday, prompting him to deploy bear spray in a dramatic encounter captured on video.

Cortlandt Koerwitz of Sacramento told KCRA 3 that the encounter began after his daughter spotted the bear rummaging through a garbage can inside the home’s garage.

Koerwitz said he grabbed bear spray and went outside to investigate, but the encounter escalated within seconds when the animal rushed toward him.

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“I just kind of caught something out of my left eye, and it was the bear rushing in. We were both startled, and I just shot the spray. And the overspray from that, you know, the shot hit me and hit my eyes,” Koerwitz said.

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.

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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.

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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.

Fox News Digital 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.