Reports about bears to wildlife officials are up statewide and Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks the public to remove attractants and potential food sources to help reduce conflicts between bears and people.
The CPW received 3,614 bear reports from April 1 through Oct. 1, 2022, an increase from the 3,155 reports over the same time frame last year, wildlife officials said in a news release. Bear activity increases this time of year as the animals are in a state of hyperphagia — scavenging and eating up to 20 hours a day as they try to consume 20,000 calories daily in preparing for winter hibernation.
Most reports on bears involve the animals accessing, or attempting to access, human food sources, the CPW said. Eliminating sources will help reduce conflicts between bears and humans, keeping people and bears safe.
