Calaveras Big Trees State Park in California recently shared an image of a locked cooler . . and yet, a bear still managed to rip open the padlock to get to the contents inside. The image serves as a precautionary tale to all those who recreate in bear country: A bear box is the only safe way to store food.
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“We locked the cooler. No need to put it in the bear box, right?” asks Calaveras Big Trees State Park in its Instagram post sharing the shocking photo. “WRONG! As you can see, even a padlock is no match for a hungry bear. Always be sure to secure coolers inside bear boxes, even if they’re locked. It’s an easy way to help keep the bears wild (and save yourself from having to buy a new cooler)!”
See what a black bear did to a locked cooler in a California state park below.
Header stock image by Amanda Wayne/Getty Images
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