A recent encounter occurred July 10, when a bear charged at a homeowner. The homeowner used bear spray on the animal and was not injured.
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According to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, officers have received 174 bear-related calls so far this year, compared with 97 during the same period last year. The increase represents nearly an 80% rise in reported incidents.
The growing number of encounters has raised questions about what is driving the increase in bear activity and interactions with people.
To discuss the trend, Ann Bryant, founder of the Bear League, joined ABC7 Eyewitness News at 3 p.m. The Bear League is a nonprofit organization focused on bear education and preventing conflicts between humans and bears.
Watch the full interview in the media player above.