It’s no secret, this summer the bears are extra active in towns throughout the state. So far, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) have received over three-thousand reports of bear activity across Colorado. Conflicts between humans and bears have risen due to drought conditions, causing the bears to source water and food closer to residential and downtown areas.
“I am seeing bears active during the day this summer, which is not something I normally see until they enter hyperphagia in the fall. We need to secure our trash and our vehicles all day every day,” Lara Xaiz from the City of Aspen said.
CPW, Pitkin County and the municipalities of Aspen, Basalt and Snowmass Village are collaborating on a regional campaign to educate the public about bears. The aim is to reduce human-bear conflicts in the Roaring Fork Valley.
“We can be much more efficient when we work together, saving time and resources. We all learn great things along the way, so why not share that with other agencies?” Xaiz stated. “We all need to do our best to keep bears wild and people safe.”
These entities are teaming up to create cohesive and consistent messaging to help communities understand bears, pooling their finances by placing ads about bear safety on RFTA buses, on the radio, in print and digitally.
With fall approaching, officials say it is critical to remove human attractants before bears enter hyperphagia, their phase of intense eating before winter hibernation. They implore folks to secure food waste, trash and recycling with locked containers or put them indoors.
If someone is concerned about a bear, there is generally someone to call (no, it’s not the Ghostbusters).
“If it is a bear just moving through [Aspen], we don’t necessarily need to know about it. If it is getting into trash or if people are gathering around it, call 970-920-BEAR,” Xaiz said. “You will have options to get in touch with us through dispatch, or to leave a message about anything non-urgent.”
Anyone can call the hotline to be routed to CPW or the Roaring Fork Valley Bear Coalition.
“If you are in Pitkin, Basalt or the Town of Snowmass Village, reach out to the non-emergency dispatch line 970-920-5310,” she continued. “If you are experiencing bear activity in other areas of the Valley, the local code enforcement or CPW would be the best options.”
Bears will move through urban areas in search of food and become habituated to humans when they are rewarded with food. Bears will naturally return to the wilderness if there is no food source.
“Bears are only trying to survive year to year. Back in the day people thought we could just keep removing ‘problem bears,’ before realizing that there is always another bear who will be looking for food rewards, and that bears are not the problem,” Xaiz said. “We need to take steps that have proven to reduce human-bear conflict. We need to take responsibility to make sure we are not attracting bears to our neighborhoods.”
The Sopris Sun reached out to CPW for comment for this story, but did not receive a response as of press time.
For more information on bear safety, visit cpw.state.co.us/living-bears
What are you doing to be bear wise? Chime in on the conversation on the Community Hub?
BE BEAR WISE
To keep bears from becoming comfortable around humans, here are six at-home BearWise tips:
Never feed or approach bears: Intentionally feeding bears or letting them find food teaches them to approach homes.
Secure food, garbage and recycling: Lock up trash, recycling and food scraps to eliminate odors that attract wildlife.
Remove bird feeders: Birdseed and grains are highly attractive, calorie-dense foods for active bears.
Never leave pet food outdoors: Feed pets indoors or clean up bowls immediately after outdoor feeding.
Clean and store grills: Burn off grease and food particles after each use, and store grills in a secure area.
Alert neighbors to bear activity: Share information with your community to prevent local conflicts.