For Yosemite bears, dinner arrives in a minivan

updated 2:20 p.m. ET Oct. 25, 2009

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, California - What's bigger than a picnic basket and even better than one in the eyes of black bears that live in Yosemite National Park?

A study published this month in the Journal of Mammalogy says it's minivans driven by families with children who leave behind a trail of spilled juice boxes, Cheerios and coolers carrying other snacks.

Park scientists have found that the bears tore up minivans more frequently than other types of vehicles. It found that minivans represented 29 percent of the 908 vehicles torn into by bears between 2001 and 2007, even though they made up just 7 percent of the cars that visited Yosemite.

The researchers investigated the relationship after noticing that bears seemed to target that particular vehicle type.

More from msnbc.com World Blog: ElBaradei rattles official Egypt Ideal beauty a matter of millimeters, study says  Some Christmas cheer, amid a lot of hardship FirstPerson: The season for giving back  'It's much more fun to give than to receive' Religious expression often frowned on at work Send your holiday pictures to troops

MORE FROM WEIRD NEWS

Weird news Section Front

Too cold for nude protest, but bikers ride on Against nudity ban, Ore. gallery takes it all off Live frog 'ornaments' on Christmas trees Boy, 4, caught with beer, wearing dress Teacher on leave for choir's Hooters lunch Bust of Frank Zappa to grace Baltimore library Do you take this man (in monitoring bracelet)? Money robbed from Pa. bank is mailed back Flashing teen found guilty after being hit by car Cops: Woman lay dead in bed for 8 months Weird news Section Front   Add Weird news headlines to your news reader: