Watch out for bears fattening up for winter

Colorado Parks and Wildlife managers remind us every fall, but it bears repeating: Be alert for bears seeking easy meals as they prepare for hibernation.

CPW said Monday that the recent cold spell will motivate bears to eat as much as possible and accumulate fat to prepare for winter hibernation.

“It’s a condition called hyperphagia,” said Cody Wigner, a CPW wildlife manager. “It started around two weeks ago and will last for another month. Bears will spend 20 out of 24 hours every day eating or looking for food.”

Wigner said that, although bears have an average supply of acorns and other food in their natural diet, they’ll often seek nourishment where it’s easy and plentiful — in the unsecured trash and garbage bins of humans.

“We’re getting 10 calls daily from people who see bears in or close to homes and neighborhoods,” he said. “Most of the bears are near the mountains west of Interstate 25.”

Although what people throw away is good for a bear’s appetite, it’s not good for its health or our safety.

“Bears can lose their fear of humans if they learn to associate us with food,” Wigner said. “And bears can die from eating things contained in garbage. This year we euthanized a bear that was dying from an infection caused by eating a wooden barbecue skewer. Previously, we put a bear down when a plastic bag was caught in its throat and suffocating it.”

Last year, the Manitou Springs City Council passed an ordinance requiring residents to store trash in certain “bear-proof” containers.

“We’d like to see more people doing that,” Wigner said. “We’d also like to see stronger enforcement of trash and garbage being left in open containers. Trash and garbage are the top nonnatural sources of food for bears.”

CPW asks residents to keep trash secured and away from bears, and to avoid contact with bears — especially if the animals are eating or near a trash bin or other food source.

Finally, CPW said it offers help for anyone who may be dealing with bear issues.

“We can recommend bear mats, or unwelcome mats,” Wigner said. “They’re basically sheets of plywood that have screws sticking up. They’re just enough to make a bear uncomfortable. You can place them around doors and windows. That’s where bears often smell food and will try to get in.”