California bear water tank rescue
Definition
A specific, recurring genre of wildlife rescue operations in California involving black bears that become trapped inside residential or industrial water storage tanks.
A symbolic representation of the human-wildlife conflict in the American West, where human infrastructure creates dangerous traps for inquisitive apex predators.
Examples
The local news segment featuring yet another California bear water tank rescue has become the highlight of my Friday evening, mostly because the bear always looks like he's regretting his life choices.
If I had a nickel for every California bear water tank rescue I've seen on social media, I could probably buy my own water tank—and a ladder to help the next fuzzy idiot get out.
Nothing says 'suburban California living' quite like a tranquilized bruin being hoisted out of a plastic cistern by three firemen and a very confused wildlife biologist.