THIS is the moment a huge American black bear broke into an ice cream parlor in search of a very specific flavor.
Shocking pictures show what greeted officers from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office in South Lake Tahoe, California, when they arrived at the store.
Taking to Facebook to share the bizarre moment, the Sheriff’s Office said its deputies “could barely believe their eyes”.
They had been called to the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe just after 4 am on August 17 after a security guard reported hearing a noise and discovered the bear inside.
Pictures taken at the scene show the bear, who has been nicknamed Fuzzy by officers, standing behind the counter looking directly at deputies after they walked in.
It could easily be mistaken for AI or an employee in a realistic bear costume waiting to serve a customer.
Locals have commented on the now viral post saying “bear needs an apron” and “he wants to know what flavor you want”.
“Showed up to work early lol,” a third joked.
“The deputies could barely believe their eyes as they saw a large bear behind the counter of the shop,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote.
However, officers revealed that sweet-toothed Fuzzy made a beeline for just one item on the menu – strawberry ice cream.
“With some encouragement, the bear ultimately left but only after showing interest in the strawberry ice cream,” they revealed.
“Thankfully, Fuzzy the bear caused barely any property damage and there was barely any cleanup.”
“Fuzzy’s Favorite Strawbear-ry or Strawbearry would be a great new name for that flavor!” one delighted Facebook user suggested.
Despite bunches of bananas hanging behind Fuzzy and the shops offerings of 20 flavors and over a dozen toppings, strawberry was his main interest.
The only clean up for workers was the sticky paw prints left on the shop floor and the removal of overturned ice cream tubs.
Officers managed to persuade Fuzzy to leave by making noise and shining their flash lights.
“We’re pretty sure he didn’t wash his claws before he came in, so all the ice cream had to be replaced,” William Boas, vice president of operations for ExplorUS, which operates the Camp Richardson Resort, told The New York Times after the eventful morning.
Following a deep clean, the parlor was reopened later that same day.
Areas that are known to have a large bear population, particularly campsites, often have strict rules about how to carry and dispose of food safely.
It comes as the animals get too used to human food that is more readily available and could pose a safety threat to themselves and humans.
“Bears who have been fed human food will begin to associate campsites, bags, garbage cans, and even cars with food,” the National Park Service warns.
“These food-conditioned bears can become dangerous.”
However, it is incredibly rare for a black bear to attack a human with less than one person a year dying as a result of an American Black Bear, per the North American Bear Center.
