Tourists taking dangerous selfie pictures with wild bears

Tourists and hikers visiting Taylor Creek in South Lake Tahoe, California have been discouraged from taking selfie pictures with the wild bears.

"We've had mobs of people that are actually rushing toward the bears trying to get a selfie photo. It is presenting a safety issue. We are afraid someone is going to get attacked," Lisa Herron, spokesperson for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, told ABC News.

In Taylor Creek, bears are congregating to hunt for kokanee salmon, which are making their annual visit to the area. Because there are more bears hanging around there during this time of year, visitors can easily spot one of the animals, and many people want to record the experience so they can look back on it, or share the photo with others.

The problem is that the bears aren't afraid to come close to the visitors. One bear cub reportedly came within two feet of a person, when there weren't any park rangers around to advise people to keep a safe distance.

If people don't heed the warning from wildlife conservation officials, authorities have threatened to limit access to the area.


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