Keeping bears out of town before they get into trouble.

Our mission and our programs all hinge on the need to proactively prevent bears from coming into urban environments. Reactionary measures will never achieve our compassionate mission. Rather, we think ahead, look ahead, and work ahead for the greater good of bears and people.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is responsible for responding to bears that are in town. Based on the bear’s history, current activity and location, the wildlife officer will decide to either leave the bear alone, tranquilize and relocate or euthanize the bear. By the time a bear is already in town, its chance of survival is severely reduced.

Rather than responding to a bear that is already in town, taking a proactive approach is the best way of keeping bears safe.

There are clear actions that communities can take to keep bears from coming into town, and to deter those that do come through town.

Reduce Attractants-Secure trash -Harvest fruit trees -Remove bird feeders -Protect livestock and beehives-Minimize water sources

Increase Deterrents-Use of electric fencing to protect livestock, beehives and homes -Increase hazing of bears when safe to do so

To protect bears across Colorado, it is essential that community members work with city officials and state wildlife managers to establish shared goals and strategies. Without collaboration between stakeholders there is misunderstandings, division and mistrust. Working together creates opportunities for the community and city to take responsible steps to keep bears out of town and to decrease the need for CPW’s handling of bears in town.

Identifying stakeholders:

Community Role of community is to identify and reduce attractants in town, increase deterrents so bears are not comfortable in town, and advocate for policy that protects bears.

City and/or County Officials Role of the city/county is to set and enforce policy, keep the community safe, and respond to community values.

CPW Role of state wildlife managers is to keep people safe from wild animals and to handle wildlife as needed.

Stakeholder Working Group Role of stakeholder working group (formed by representatives from the community, city/county and state) is to meet periodically, brainstorm and implement ways to keep bears out of urban areas.

Network of Bear Groups Role of network of bear groups is to build strong infrastructure across the state/nation to protect bears.

With an ever expanding human footprint, bears are facing interactions with humans more than ever before. With this changing landscape, we need to respond with new ways of protecting bears. Solutions that work in one city may also work in another, thus the importance of sharing solutions and networking ideas across our state.

We know the power of thinking outside the box to develop new and effective approaches for keeping bears out of town. We believe the problem doesn’t have to be overly expensive or troublesome to solve—with smart thinking and creative problem-solving, the solutions are accessible and even inspiring.