California Department of Fish and Game bear biologist Mario Klip is giving a talk Jan. 12 at 10am in the Aspen Room at Lake Tahoe Community College.

South Lake Tahoe’s American Association of University Women is putting on the free event.

Klip has a background in business and always had a strong affinity for wildlife. After obtaining an MBA and working in high tech for 10 years, he started working with wildlife in 2008.

He has a master’s in biology, is a doctoral student at UC Berkeley and is a Tahoe bear biologist focusing on research, aversive conditioning, outreach and education. His talk will cover bear biology and Tahoe urban-wild black bear research.

Klip will be bringing his trained Karelian bear dogs, Villa and Sasha, who are used to help avert bears from populated areas around Lake Tahoe.