The Bears Are Back In Town
Bears Are Out Of Hibernation, Looking For Food
The bears are back in town.
In many mountain towns the bruins are rambling through
neighborhoods and scrounging through garbage. A bear recently
mangled the cover of a hot tub outside a home.
Vail police officers fired rubber bullets at a bear gorging on
garbage at an apartment complex last week.
Wildlife officers have received 10 calls from Avon, Colo., residents about bears
in the past two weeks, said Bill Andree, state Division of Wildlife
district manager.
"They're definitely back and they're busy," he said.
Trash left outside probably drew a bear to the Vail house where
the hot tub cover was mangled, said property manager Frank
McKibben.
"I think the town needs an ordinance about the proper storage
and placement of trash," he said.
Wildlife officers have been warning Coloradans to make sure
there's no food or trash outside to attract bears, which are
emerging from hibernation.
Bears have been known to break through screen doors and slide
open sliding glass doors to get at food, said Avon police Sgt.
Bernie McGovern.
Aspen has an ordinance that prohibits leaving unsecured, edible
garbage outside. The city recently ticketed three restaurants, a
trash hauler and a resident for not locking up their garbage.
Andree said when confronted with people, black bears will
usually run away if they're not cornered.
Under state policy, a bear is relocated the first time it makes
trouble. The second time, it is killed.
More than 100 black bears that roamed into populated areas last
year were killed.
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In many mountain towns the bruins are rambling through
neighborhoods and scrounging through garbage. A bear recently
mangled the cover of a hot tub outside a home.
Vail police officers fired rubber bullets at a bear gorging on
garbage at an apartment complex last week.
Wildlife officers have received 10 calls from Avon, Colo., residents about bears
in the past two weeks, said Bill Andree, state Division of Wildlife
district manager.
"They're definitely back and they're busy," he said.
Trash left outside probably drew a bear to the Vail house where
the hot tub cover was mangled, said property manager Frank
McKibben.
"I think the town needs an ordinance about the proper storage
and placement of trash," he said.
Wildlife officers have been warning Coloradans to make sure
there's no food or trash outside to attract bears, which are
emerging from hibernation.
Bears have been known to break through screen doors and slide
open sliding glass doors to get at food, said Avon police Sgt.
Bernie McGovern.
Aspen has an ordinance that prohibits leaving unsecured, edible
garbage outside. The city recently ticketed three restaurants, a
trash hauler and a resident for not locking up their garbage.
Andree said when confronted with people, black bears will
usually run away if they're not cornered.
Under state policy, a bear is relocated the first time it makes
trouble. The second time, it is killed.
More than 100 black bears that roamed into populated areas last
year were killed.
- April 30, 2001: Bears Coming Out Of Hibernation
- April 2, 2001: Watch Out For Bears, Wildlife Officials Warn
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
