Colorado officials fear more bear-human conflicts
ROBERT WELLER Associated Press writer | Posted: Sunday, November 18, 2007 12:00 am
DENVER - A berry-killing drought and late spring freeze pushed hungry Colorado bears into more confrontations with humans this year, and wildlife managers say a record 59 bears have been put down as a result.
Officials say the toll could go higher. With temperatures as much as 10 degrees above average this fall, some bears are still hanging around towns in search of food instead of getting comfortable inside their winter dens.
That could lead to more confrontations and more cases of bears being put down.
The previous record number of nuisance bears killed in Colorado was 55, in 2002.
Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and other Western states are also experiencing more conflicts, with weather a factor in many cases. A bear killed an 11-year-old boy at a Utah campground in June.
One factor behind increased bear-human conflicts in the West is population growth, with more people moving into bear habitat. In Colorado, it's common to see television news footage of bears climbing into backyard trees.
Shortages of bears' natural food make things worse. Without enough to eat, bears often scavenge in garbage containers and sometimes even enter houses in search of food.
Wildlife managers have been working with communities to avoid creating attractions for bears, especially open trash cans.
Colorado wildlife managers, like ski areas, farmers and water suppliers, are hoping the snow and cold will come soon and hit hard enough to send nuisance bears into hibernation.
"If we get a good blast of snow here it would put an end to it for this year," said Tyler Baskfield, spokesman for the Division of Wildlife. Most bears have already entered hibernation.
A return of bad weather could mean more bear problems next year.
"If we have another rough spring, where berries and other foods are not available because of late freezes, we could have another bad year," he said.
Baskfield said there has been some discussion within the agency about culling the "the sloth of bears," as a group is known, but this occurs every year.
In January, wildlife managers from around the state will meet to look at areas where the most confrontations occurred and review whether specific measures are needed in those areas.
The Colorado Wildlife Commission will decide in March what to do, and increasing the quota of fall hunting licenses for bears is one possibility.
"It's upsetting news," said Holly Tarry, state director of the Humane Society.
"Black bear populations manage themselves based on the resources that are available to them. Keeping them out of human areas is a human responsibility. We're very disappointed that thinning would be an option," she told the Aspen Times.
She said educating residents of bear areas about securing their garbage stepped-up enforcement of laws requiring bear-proof trash bins could reduce the problem.
Baskfield agreed that education and enforcement are important but added the weather is often the biggest determinant.
"There have been rumblings in areas like Aspen that we need to bring the number of bears down," Baskfield said. But he added there is fierce resistance from some. "We took some heat for putting down a bear that attacked a lady in a condo."