Black Bears (Ursus americanus)
Be Bear Aware!
As more people move into the West, sprawling into once-pristine habitat, the chances for encounters between bears and people are increasing. The most effective tool we have to deal with bear-human conflicts is information. And the most important thing we can teach people is to keep our food away from bears.
With an olfactory sense seven times stronger than a bloodhound’s, a bear can sniff a carcass, a ripe garbage can, or greasy barbecue grill from miles away! If you live in bear country, make your garbage inaccessible. Put cans out just before pick-up time (not the night before) in sturdy, bear-resistant containers. Other common-sense measures for residents include cleaning barbeque grills, storing them indoors when not in use, and not attracting bears to homes by leaving seeds and fruits in bird feeders, especially over night. When camping, hang food, toiletries, and trash at least ten feet from the ground and four feet from the base of the tree. When hiking, travel in groups and make noise.
Intentionally feeding bears, or leaving food, grills, or pet food outside in bear country is a misdemeanor offense in Colorado punishable by a $100 fine for the first offense, $500 for the second, and $1,000 for each subsequent ticket. The bear may fare far worse. Under Colorado’s two-strike policy, if a bear enters an urban area or breaks into a home, the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) will ear-tag and tattoo the bear’s lip. If caught a second time, the DOW is mandated to kill the bear. Thankfully, some officers do attempt to keep from killing a problem bear, but bears stay out of trouble only when we help them.
Colorado’s black bear population is one of the state’s most precious resources. Make a commitment, help others become “bear aware,” and help keep bears wild and healthy—and out of garbage cans!
For kids!
Dowload the Bear Aware Coloring Book (PDF)
