Opinion by Elizabeth Key; originally published in The Sopris Sun,
As a Colorado native, I have traditionally bristled at the comparison of nuisance bears to overgrown city rats. Nestled in the White River National Forest, I see myself more like Goldilocks living in the bears’ home. I estimate five bears are habitating around my one-acre lot that serves as a conduit to their water source: the Crystal River.
This bear season has presented a role reversal, as it seems the bears want me to provide the porridge. I have to admit that these bears are starting to feel like big-city thugs after they have vandalized my trash bins, twice burgled crumbs from my car, thrice invaded my garage and even chomped on my dog. Still, my heart melted at the mewling of a baby bear that was chased up a power pole by my neighbor’s dog after it had breached our cars, leaving sandy paw prints behind. I admired the bears’ dexterity for opening a car door without leaving a scratch.
Some of my Crystal River neighbors are Elmer Fudding it, patrolling with shotguns loaded with rubber bullets. Entrepreneurs are popping up with bear-deterrent side hustles, and our community Facebook page is brimming with bear-aware advice. The suggestion of “unwelcome mats” struck me as a bit barbaric as I visualized nail-laden plywood mats puncturing paws — but they are probably effective when placed in front of trash cans.
Coexisting
Many organizations and citizens are collaborating to assist with bear-human coexistence. One such organization is the Roaring Fork Valley Bear Coalition, founded by Daniela Kohl in 2019. The coalition’s mission is to expand community outreach and education, bridging a gap where Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) may have limited resources. Kohl emphasized, “It’s not just the government that has to fix everything for us. We need to be responsible. It’s a human problem.”
Approximately 60 black bears frequent the subdivisions between Carbondale and Marble, with an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 bears living within the area the Glenwood Springs CPW office manages. Bears can sense food from over five miles away and become accustomed to going after easily accessible food after being rewarded but a few times. Bears’ attention spans may be short, but their memories are long and they are known to return to familiar food sources.
“They’re super smart, and they will always know when it’s trash day,” Kohl stated. In late summer and fall, “Bears become little eating machines. It is called hyperphagia. I call it a feeding frenzy — an all-you-can-eat buffet for bears,” she continued. “It’s a stage they go through that lasts until they get enough food to hibernate properly.”
This time of year, bears need to consume 5,000 to 20,000 calories a day (the equivalent of over 200 apples) and might continuously eat for up to 22 hours to gain the requisite four pounds daily.
Female bears live approximately 25 years and birth an average of 10 cubs during their lifetime. They can teach their cubs to dumpster dive instead of naturally forage. Some residents fear that troubling bears will be euthanized, so they hesitate to report interactions. The CPW determines whether to deter, relocate or euthanize a bear on a case-by-case basis. Euthanizing a bear is a last resort and is usually reserved for repeat offenders who are aggressive and pose a risk to public safety.
“These district wildlife managers are not in this profession to catch the bear and put it down,” said Kohl.” They are very ethical.” She continued, “Early reporting will ultimately save the bear’s life because they will professionally haze the bear.”
If you do encounter a bear, don’t run. Black bears can outrun you, reaching speeds up to 35 miles-per-hour. “The rule of thumb is to put your thumb up, and if your thumb can cover the bear — or any wildlife — you are safe … Just back up [and] don’t turn your back on the bear.”
Make sure you have an approved wildlife-proof trash bin, lock your doors (use door knobs instead of paddles when possible) and report all incidents to CPW. These efforts could prevent the discovery of a bear in your home eating the “just right” bowl of porridge.
For more information on coexisting with bears, visit www.cpw.state.co.us/living-bears and/or www.roaringforkbears.org