State Park Shares Image of Locked Cooler Destroyed by Bear

Stock image by Amanda Wayne/Getty Images A state park recently shared an image of a cooler that had been padlocked shut . . . and yet, a bear still managed to rip it open. See here. The post State Park Shares Image of Locked Cooler Destroyed by Bear appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Aug 7, 2026 - 18:00
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State Park Shares Image of Locked Cooler Destroyed by Bear
Stock image by Amanda Wayne/Getty Images
black bear attack woman walking dog

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.

[RELATED: Black Bear Breaks Into Colorado Vehicle, Gets Stuck]

“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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The post State Park Shares Image of Locked Cooler Destroyed by Bear appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

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