MANITOU SPRINGS — Reports of bear encounters typically increase in Southern Colorado as warm days turn cold.
It happens most around trash cans left outside.
“They're opportunistic. And sometimes those opportunities come in the form of trash or human resources,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife, District Wildlife Manager, Demetria McDowell.
As days get colder and winter approaches bears look for food around the clock.
“Changing seasons definitely affects bears. As we start to get into fall, out into late fall, you'll notice bears will start to go into hyperphagia, which is a really fancy word for eating a lot,” said McDowell.
Trash cans are a binge eating opportunity.
“They're going to be eating 20 to 22 hours a day,” said McDowell, “They need to consume over 20,000 calories a day.”
The tendency toward trash cans is why Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a history of increased bear encounter reports during the autumn months.
It is also why wildlife officers worked with Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs city leaders a few years back to create ordinances aimed at discouraging bears from getting into trash.
“There's a city code now that requires you to keep your trash inside until the day of pick up, and then bring it back inside that same day of pickup, or have a bear resistant trash can,” said McDowell.
The intent is to encourage better habits by people to discourage bears from having bad habits.
A family in Colorado City says illegal dumping near their home is becoming a safety issue
One official told News5 the trash piles could be infested with rats or other dangerous factors, so they are waiting to work with the health department to remove trash from the area.
