Black bear destroys mini van on family camping trip to Yosemite

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Last night, I was doomscrolling on Instagram when I came across the video below of a park ranger and a California Highway Patrol officer smashing the window of a minivan because a black bear was somehow trapped in there.

Watch the video on Instagram here.
As you can see, the bear absolutely destroyed the interior of the vehicle and according to the owner, per CBS News, Irik Edens and his wife said, “he tore up everything right. All the wiring is pulled apart and the car all the panels are pulled off, the dashboards pulled to pieces, and all the panels of every single door is ripped off so he couldn’t open.”

The Edens were celebrating their thirteenth wedding anniversary with an annual trip to Bass Lake, which is near Yosemite National Park in California. How did the bear get into the car? I’m guessing the bear smelled food and was able to open the door with his huge claws. Irek said that after spending time at the lake, he went back to his unlocked van to grab a chair, which is when he noticed something was moving inside.

Turns out, he encountered an unwanted guest. “I look through the back window, and I see a silhouette of the bear inside. So I was like, ‘That’s a… holy hell! There’s a bear in our car.’ ” Edens said. It seems like Irek has the right attitude because after the bear destroyed his car, he said, “this is an anniversary he will never forget. I mean, life is about adventure and joy, and if you’re missing one of those, you’re not living life, right?”

According to another media outlet (embedded below), the Edens say they suspect bear was lured by their morning pancakes. “I think he spent most of his time licking up syrup and then trying to get out. He was trapped in there and probably started freaking out, tearing the place apart.”

What’s even worse is the “bear left an additional mess, defecating and urinating in the vehicle. ‘Beyond all the damage he did with his claws just destroying the car, but he also defecated and urinated in the car, and so it stinks in there,’ Edens added.”