Overview

• Deputies found a large black bear behind the counter at the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe in the early hours of Sunday, August 17.
• The animal was coaxed out without incident, with authorities reporting minimal damage and no injuries.
• Photos posted by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office show the bear focusing on strawberry ice cream.
• Shop staff referred to the visitor as “Fuzzy,” according to authorities.
• Wildlife officials link the encounter to a broader rise in food-conditioned bear behavior in the Tahoe Basin and urge people to secure trash, lock doors, avoid feeding wildlife, and report encounters, noting recent management actions such as the euthanasia of bear No. 717 after repeated aggressive break-ins.