Colorado Parks and Wildlife respond to four bear sightings in one day

It’s that time of year again when bears are coming out of hibernation looking for food. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has responded to several sightings, including four just on Thursday.

Frank McGee an area wildlife manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife South East division says El Paso County has received the most bear sighting calls in the state.

On Thursday officers responded to four sightings. Some of them were on the east side of Colorado Springs. “The only thing that bear can do in that area is to get in trouble,” McGee says.

The problem with bears traveling far east from their natural habitat is that if they do get ahold of food left outside, they can become destructive when they can’t find anymore.

McGee says, “Eventually we see them start to break into houses, into vehicles causing damage and becoming aggressive.”

One was seen about a block away from the Citadel Mall. Parks and Wildlife officers cornered the bear making it climb into a tree. They had to use two tranquilizer darts to safely rescue the 150-pound bear.

In Pueblo West officers came face to face with another hungry bear. This one was running down the road near a high school.

Both were tagged and relocated. Meaning if they come around again they will be euthanized. Unfortunately, that happened to another bear the same day that was found more than ten miles east of Fountain.

“We don’t have the details on where it came from or what else it was doing but it was getting into livestock and it had to be put down,” McGee said.

CPW encourages those who do live in the Springs to be bear aware even if it is uncommon for bears to be in their area.

By taking in any trash left outside, cleaning up barbeque grills, and bringing in bird feeders at night. It could help save a bears life.