Bears put on show by splashing around busy Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) — Some unusual visitors joined the crowds of swimmers and kayakers trying to cool off on Lake Tahoe — a bear and a pair of cubs.

Pallas Buckley, who lives near South Lake Tahoe, took video of the rare sight last week: the animals frolicking and splashing in the water near the beach while people paddled nearby seemingly unfazed.

She says her fellow lakegoers watched the spectacle but stayed respectful of the bears. Buckley says she’s seen many bears, but spotting them on the beach was a first.

Wildlife experts tell TV station KTVN in Reno, Nevada, that it’s unusual for bears to visit a busy area, raising concerns they’re used to being around people.

They say the bears could’ve come down for food or to cool off during the drought.