Colorado bear dies after being trapped in unlocked car for several days
A 300-pound black bear found dead in Colorado had been stuck inside an unlocked vehicle for multiple days, damaging the interior while trying to escape.
A roughly 300-pound black bear was found dead in Colorado Springs after spending several days inside an unlocked car, where it broke the interior while trying to leave. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer Travis Sauder explained that bears often slip into open doors in search of food but can struggle when a door shuts behind them. The death comes as the agency records more than double the bear sightings and conflicts compared with the same period last year, a trend they attribute to poor natural food conditions caused by low snowpack and late freezes.
Officials warn that bears are entering a hyperphagic phase, increasing their drive to seek calories. CPW advises people to treat vehicles like campsites, removing any food, trash or scented products that might attract bears, and cautions against feeding wildlife.
Why it matters
It highlights how human habits can trap wildlife and underscores rising human-bear conflicts in Colorado.
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