Bears get a handle on opening car doors –but could it be their downfall?

'Food-conditioning' and other adaptive behaviors have become common among bear populations - and could lead them into dangerous contact with humans

William Hefner was on his honeymoon with his new wife Sara, driving back to their rented condo in the mountains above Gatlinberg, Tennessee, when he first saw the bear. At first, he said, he thought it was a huge dog nosing around. They followed it in the car; Hefner started videoing.

As he watched in amazement, the bear reared onto its hind legs, niftily pulled the handle of a parked car, and opened the door. "He walked up to the car and opened it like he owned it - hopped right in," Hefner said. "He seemed like he knew what he was doing " It was a shock, it was hard to believe. But after your nerves calm down and you realise the animal isn't gonna maul you, it was kinda neat, kinda cool to see that."