Lake Tahoe adds signs to slow down after number of bears hit by cars climbs
LAKE TAHOE -- Lake Tahoe is asking drivers to slow down and discussing adding permanent signs to roads after a record-breaking number of bears have been hit by cars this summer.
Bear League Executive Director Ann Bryant said that from July to early August at least 50 bears were hit and 20 killed. That number continues to rise daily.
"It is almost every day now and sometimes it is more than one," Bryant said.
Flashing signs along roads during Labor Day weekend were posted in some of the spots where bears have been killed that tell people to slow down for wildlife in the area.
"So far we haven't had a call in those areas where signs are," Bryant said.
Local leaders are having discussions about making the signs permanent, but there is no timeline quite yet.
"It is heartbreaking because we are living in their land," said Julie Schwindeman who lives in Lake Tahoe.
Bryant expects even more to be roaming in the fall before hibernation.
"We are going to lose possibly another 60 bears," said Bryant. "The bears that are in California are coming into the towns because people feed them with unsecure trash."
So, is the uptick in collisions because there are more bears or more people? Bryant said people and more cars mean more people, especially in popular tourist spots like South Lake Tahoe.
"They are busy looking at the trees, looking at the lake and driving along and the bear runs out," said Bryant. "They are not expecting that."
The crashes are not just damaging to bears, but also the drivers and cars.
"For a lot of people who hit them it's extremely traumatic," said Bryant. "They don't ever forget it."
One local supervisor told CBS13 that right now there are not any conversations about lowering speed limits in some areas, but they hope to have permanent signage soon.
"It is heartbreaking," said Schwindeman. "I don't know how else to describe it."