Colorado euthanizes nearly 300 bears as human-bear conflicts surge
Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported 294 black bears were euthanized by Aug. 31, more than three times last year's total, after a sharp rise in human-bear incidents.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that 294 black bears were euthanized through Aug. 31, a three-fold increase over the same period last year, driven by record numbers of human-bear contacts amid drought and wildfire conditions. The agency logged 8,672 sightings and incidents, compared with 3,680 a year earlier, and relocated 98 bears while killing many more, including 39 in Garfield County after vehicle strikes. Bears are turning to garbage and campsites for the calories needed for hibernation, leading to occasional attacks on hikers and homeowners.
CPW follows a response scale that escalates from monitoring to relocation and, for repeated dangerous behavior, euthanasia. Officials urged the public to eliminate food sources, use bear-proof containers, and keep pets leashed to curb future conflicts.
