Gigantic bear strolls through panicked crowds at Lake Tahoe beach

A large black bear strolled across a beach in South Lake Tahoe, California, as beachgoers stared in shock.

The huge animal was ready to cool down as it wandered the banks next to the Boathouse on the Pier - with only kayaks, paddleboards, jet skis and pedal boats separating it from the onlookers on August 31.

A large, frantic crowd gathered a couple of feet away on the beach, with some yelling for people to get away. Others seemed content to watch the bear or whip out their phones.

Stunned onlookers also stood on the boardwalk or the balcony of the restaurant.

The dogs on the boardwalk seemed more disturbed as they barked as the bear got closer until it disappeared under the pier.

In another video captured by Lisa Enos Martin and posted to the Facebook group 'I Love Lake Tahoe', it appears the bear was able to swim in the water after shocking onlookers.

In the comment section of the video that had over 2,000 views, users had ranging opinions. One person wrote: 'Love this! Keep Tahoe Bearable'

Another added: 'Awesome site but very sad since I’ve lived in Tahoe for 40 years I feel so bad for the Bears. They have no place to go and they rely on human trash. They’re just turning into a bunch of rats. Very sad.'

And a third said: 'Their space, their habitat is being invaded.'

There are 25,000 to 35,000 black bears in California. 

But in the Lake Tahoe area, black bears' ability of adapting to 'human-modified environments' is becoming more of a concern than habitat loss, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife said in a report released in April.

The video of the swimming bear comes only three months after a California man was left stunned after a 300-pound bear walked into his kitchen while he was doing the dishes. 

Jason Wightman from Sierra Madre said the animal walked through an open door to his home at 5.30pm on June 4. 

He shared the five-minute-long video to Facebook where it gained more than 2,000 views. 

In the video, the bear cautiously looks around the doorframe at Wightman before stepping closer. He grabbed a spray bottle filled with water before the bear turned around a ran outside. 

Eventually the bear, and another who was standing outside, climbed over the fence and walked away.