In a Nutshell:
- A black bear broke into a woman’s car in British Columbia, Canada, and drank 69 cans of Orange Crush, causing damage to the vehicle and its leather interior.
- The woman, Sharon Rosel, tried to reason with the bear and even poured cold water over its head, but ultimately had to leave the bear alone due to safety concerns.
- Black bears are the most commonly encountered large carnivore in British Columbia, and at this time of year, they have just emerged from hibernation and are on the hunt for food, which can include anything with a scent, including sealed bottles and soda cans.
In a bizarre incident that has left residents of Earls Cove in British Columbia, Canada scratching their heads, a black bear broke into a woman’s car and consumed 69 cans of Orange Crush.
Sharon Rosel, the owner of the car and a food truck business, was first alerted to the break-in at 3 a.m. on April 13. She said she looked out into her yard and saw a large male bear had broken into her car and was drinking soda that she had picked up for her food truck.
According to Rosel, the bear had smashed the window and as she watched from her balcony, she could see he was doing more and more damage.
“The bear broke the window, poured Orange Crush all over my white leather seats, absolutely saturated the bottom of my vehicle, and punctured the leather interior with his nails. He also tore off the window handle […] and ripped the leather canopy,” she said.
Rosel’s husband was away in Vancouver at the time of the incident, but he suggested getting a big bucket of cold water and pouring it over the bear’s head. However, this didn’t deter the bear.
“I watched him for about 40 minutes trying everything I could to reason with him. I even told him I was a bear hunter,” Rosel said.
Although it was painful to watch, Rosel knew she could not intervene.
“The bear was in a confined area and had a food source so he could be aggressive,” she said. “With tears in my eyes, I had to go back inside and I couldn’t watch my custom-made car be torn to pieces.”
Black bears are the most commonly encountered large carnivore in British Columbia, and the males can weigh up to 500 pounds.
According to the government of British Columbia, at this time of year, the bears have just emerged from their dens after hibernation and are on the hunt for food.
Bears are known to consider anything with a scent to be “food,” including sealed bottles, soaps, cosmetics, trash, and soda cans.
Rosel said that she and her neighbors in Earls Cove were well aware of the bears in their area and made every effort to lock away garbage and other food sources so as not to attract the animals to their properties.
“I had no idea that they could smell pop through cans and even if they could, I had no idea they would want to drink 69 of them,” she said.
The incident has attracted attention from all over the world, with many finding it both amusing and bizarre. Rosel said she has since repaired her car and is now keeping a closer eye on her soda supply.
While the incident may seem funny, it’s important to remember that bears are wild animals and can be dangerous.
If you ever encounter a bear in the wild, it’s important to give it plenty of space and avoid making sudden movements or loud noises. And, of course, be sure to lock away any food sources to prevent attracting the animals.
Source: Newsweek
Old Man
April 30, 2023 at 9:01 am
I’m sure after 60 cans of orange soda, a cup of water was the last thing the bear wanted.