Colorado, USA — Colorado Parks and Wildlife The (CPW) said it received more reports of bear sightings and conflicts in 2022 than in the previous year, but even fewer reports than in the previous year.
CPW said it received 4,282 reports of bear sightings and collisions in 2022. That’s a 16% increase from 2021, when he had 3,706 reports statewide. That’s down from 2020, when there were 4,971 reports.
CPW says the main cause of conflict is bears trying to get close to trash. Of his 2,066 reported cases of attractant-related property damage in 2022, about 52% involved trash. by CPW data.
Credit: DJ Hannigan via Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Other common causes of conflicts are:
- Livestock such as poultry, goats, sheep, cattle and alpacas: 377 reports
- Vehicles: 111 reports
- Crops: 108 reports
- Beehive: 59 reports
- Other sources such as pet food, bird seeds, barbecue grills, compost, coolers, koi ponds: 336 reports
“All of these conflicts can be easily reduced if citizens take simple steps to keep bears away from their homes and property,” CPW said.
Credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Florissant bear damage
According to CPW, some people have concerns about reporting bear activity. According to CPW, only 2.3% of his 18,351 bear reports received by the agency over the past four years resulted in euthanasia.
According to CPW, 94 bears will be euthanized and 59 removed in 2022. These numbers are up from his 2021, when he euthanized 66 and removed 51.
Most bearish reports in 2022 Northwest region of CPW, Steamboat Springs, Hot Sulfur Springs, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Meeker. There were 1,892 reports of bears in the area.
CPW said the number was due to a delayed freeze.
“The late freeze that held on that side of the state has led to food shortages, with almost no natural berry and acorn crops in most areas,” CPW said. said in a news release“Compared to 2020 and 2021, there was a 3% decrease in bear reports in the CPW’s southwest region, but a 9% increase in the northwest region, where most of the region was hit by severe drought.”
Covers northeastern Colorado area We received 1,004 reports, including Park County, Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, and the Northeast Plains. by CPW data.
There were 710 reports in southeastern Colorado, including Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and much of the Eastern Plains. Southwest Colorado, which includes Montrose, Gunnison, Monte Vista, and Durango, had 676 reports.
Credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Florissant bear cub
according to CPW dataand the counties with the highest number of reports were:
- Pitkin: 718 reports
- El Paso: 356 reports
- Garfield: 297 reports
- Larimar: 256 reports
- Jefferson: 227 reports
- Mesa: 215 reports
- Rout: 213 reports
- Boulder: 211 reports
- Eagle: 196 reports
- Douglas: 190 reports
Bent, Bloomfield, Cheyenne, Crowley, Denver, Dolores, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties have bear report 2022. There was one each in Adams, Alamosa, and Connejos counties.
Credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Wildlife managers estimate that there are 17,000 to 20,000 bears in Colorado, and the population is stable and growing. The black bear is the state’s only bear species. The colors of these bears are brown, blond, cinnamon or black.
CPW launched a bear reporting system in 2019. The goal is to enable wildlife managers to track and quantify bear activity and conflict statewide.
CPW said anyone who saw ‘bears causing problems in urban areas’ you have to call them report it.
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