Bears, and tourists, learn new tricks to reduce conflict in park

Bear with me: A black bear and her cubs, apparently attracted to the scent of an inactive bear trap, climb around the trap in Yosemite National Park. The park has had a huge problem with bears breaking into cars and causing other mayhem and has embarked on an ambitious campaign to train campers in bear awareness. - MCT photos

The problem of black bears ripping up cars and tents in their search for food has declined following behaviour conditioning for both man and animal.

It wasn’t that long ago that a trip to see Yosemite’s spectacular granite cliffs and splendid waterfalls was a descent into bear mayhem.