Black bear enters California library, raids snacks and honey on Winnie-the-Pooh's 100th anniversary
A black bear walked into the Mammoth Lakes library before opening hours on Wednesday, consuming staff snacks including peanut butter, peach cups, cookies, and a jar of honey before leaving on its own.
What happened
On Wednesday at approximately 6:10 a.m., more than four hours before the Mammoth Lakes branch of the Mono County Free Libraries opened, a black bear entered the facility. According to library director Josef Bopp, the bear raided the staff snack supply, eating peanut butter, peach cups, cookies, and a jar of honey. The bear then wandered through the library, moving through the new releases section and reference desk while sniffing books, a chair, and the ground, before exiting on its own. Surveillance camera footage captured the bear's movements. The incident occurred on the 100th anniversary of the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Context
The Mono County Office of Education noted the coincidental timing with humor, suggesting the bear was searching for a copy of the classic A.A. Milne book, which features an anthropomorphic honey-loving bear character inspired in part by a real black bear named Winnipeg at the London Zoo. The library system had been encouraging residents to visit its seven branches to borrow copies of Winnie-the-Pooh or bear-themed books to mark the anniversary. The incident underscores an ongoing wildlife management challenge in the area, prompting officials to remind residents that black bears are wild animals that should not be approached or fed, and to use bear-proof trash containers and secure vehicles.