California

See what bears can do to an unattended campsite in Oakland Zoo video

The Oakland Zoo let a family of bears go at a mock campsite set up in their habitat to show visitors how destructive bears can be if campers are unprepared for an encounter.

A video shows the black bears knocking over and rummaging through coolers, munching on marshmallows and other food, destroying tents and wrecking a picnic table.

The most common human-bear conflicts involve unsecured trash and food, wildlife officials say.

The Oakland Zoo held third annual Bear Camp event on June 1, 2024 to celebrate National Black Bear Day. Visitors watched bears destroy the campsite.

This story was originally published June 5, 2024 at 8:34 AM with the headline "See what bears can do to an unattended campsite in Oakland Zoo video."

David Caraccio
The Sacramento Bee
David Caraccio is a video producer for The Sacramento Bee who was born and raised in Sacramento. He is a graduate of San Diego State University and a longtime journalist who has worked for newspapers as a reporter, editor, page designer and digital content producer.
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