The bear got up close and personal with the trail camera.

Michael Horwith, of Boulder, uses series of trail cameras to observe wildlife in the Front Range mountains. Horwith has captured some wonderful footage of birds, moose, a mother elk and her baby, coyotes, mountain lions, and plenty of amazing weather.

Horwith recently shared a clip of a bear getting quite familiar with his trail cam, and you can see that the intrigued bear gets investigative in its efforts to figure out exactly what the camera is. At one point, the bear seems to be licking the camera.

It's a real treat to see this bear so close in an undisturbed natural state. All too often, especially in recent months, we have heard about bear encounters that ended badly for the humans, the bear, or both. Bears are looking for food, and there are a lot of visitors making their way into bear territory.

All bears in the Boulder and Front Range are black bears, even though their fur may not be dark or black. It's important to remember never to approach a bear, offer it food, or place oneself in direct contact with a bear. Viewing wildlife from far, such as through a trail camera, is a much safer way to observe than trying to get up close and personal with one of these creatures.

Trail cameras are often used by wildlife watchers, as well as other outdoor enthusiasts, and are usually a very simple motion-activated camera set up in an area where one anticipates animal activity. Often, they are placed near a food or water source or in an area where animal signs have been seen. These are a wonderful way to see wildlife up close without putting anyone or any animals at risk.

Horwith has shared several other videos showing candid shots of animals as they move about their business in the Front Range on his social media. Thanks to him for sharing this up-close look at one of the many bears who call Colorado’s mountains home.