Lions and tigers and... oh, no, just bears. Colorado is facing one of its biggest bear issues in years. Here's whats going down in Bear town.
The weather is cooling off, which means bears are gearing up to power down. So what does this mean? It means bears are coming and they are coming in troves. Fox 31 Denver reported around this time last year that the Front Range was dealing with the worst bear problem in decades. It seems now, a year later, things haven’t gotten much better.
Due to a shortage of natural food for the bears to gorge on before hibernation, they are turning toward human food replacements. You may have seen the adorable videos floating around Facebook. Images of bears breaking into decks and back yards are all over for us to like and laugh at. But this will only get worse as the weather gets cooler.
2016 has already seen more bear-human conflicts than last years supposed “worst year in decades,” saying a lot for conditions this year. So far, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has relocated six bears and put down 17. All happening in areas including Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and most of Pitkin and Eagle Counties. And its still technically summer!
There is a population conflict with humans and bears. Bear populations are rising, and simultaneously with Colorado’s population encroaching on the hills, CPW is running out of places to relocate bears. Not to mention, bears are extremely smart AND have the ability to move 100 miles in one evening. Even with relocation, a lot of the same bears are popping back up in their old spots.
The issue with them returning after being relocated is the CPW has a "two-strike" system when it comes to bears. If relocated and tagged bears are spotted in the same areas, they are put down. Same goes for bears who consistently cause issues and are considered a threat to human safety. While this is a key measure to protect human life, its still extremely sad for bear-life.
They don't know any better!
There are some things you can do to not only protect yourself and your family, while still looking out for our fluffy friends. Making a lot of noise around your house is preferable to keep bears away. Definitely more effective than rubber buckshot’s and tranquilizers that would come down the line. Securing trash will also ensure you don’t have any late-night visitors, and a whole town keeping track of their trash will deter bears from wondering into town.
Check out the Colorado Parks and Wildlife's page if you need some more tips and ideas. The CPW has even created a youtube channel to watch their “
Bear Aware” videos. These videos offer information on how to reduce your rick of encountering a bear and what to do if you come face-to-face with one.
At the end of the day, safety is the CPW and our main concern. Overall, be safe around bears, make sure you're keeping your trash locked up and a close eye on the kiddos. While we may have our homes and our towns, the bears were technically here first, and will ultimately follow their instincts.
Have your own Bear tips and tricks? Let us know in the comments below!
