Aspen police busy fielding calls about bears

Aspen police recorded a huge increase in the number of bear calls logged in August, compared with the same month last year.

The Aspen Times reports that police recorded 292 calls about bears for the month through Aug. 28. Some calls may have been about the same bear. The department recorded 38 bear calls in August 2011.

Police officials say bears have been wandering into town because the drought has affected their natural sources of food in the backcountry.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife reports euthanizing at least 28 problem bears this year in the district that includes much of the Roaring Fork Valley and Eagle Valley. Sixteen other bears have been tagged and relocated away from humans. Those bears could be put down if they threaten humans again.