Do Not Feed the Bears (or Take Selfies with Them)
Selfies sure are silly. But when you’re taking one with say, a moving train or, in the case of South Lake Tahoe, a bear—well, that’s just dumb. And yet so many #bearselfies are coming out of this part of California that the U.S. Forest Service is threatening to shut the Taylor Creek Visitor Center down. An agency spokesperson told the Reno Gazette-Journal, "We've had mobs of people that are actually rushing toward the bears trying to get a 'selfie' photo."
Word to the wise: When you charge, or even sneak up on a bear, in an attempt to fit the 600-pound or so animal into the same smartphone frame as your face, it’s probably not a good idea to then turn your back on the bear that you are now very close to. Bears are faster than you think. And if the Forest Service has to kill a bear on account of you getting hurt, now, that’s not a very pretty picture, is it?
Photo: coconut chanelonEarth provides reporting and analysis about environmental science, policy, and culture. All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of NRDC. Learn more or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.