Rise in Bear-Human Conflicts Prompts CO Authorities to Talk Trash

Want to avoid a testy interaction with a bear? Then make sure they can’t get to your trash. It’s a message that Colorado wildlife officials are sending to residents this week following an increase of conflicts between humans and bears over the last few years.

In 2024, Colorado Parks and Wildlife received 5,022 reports of conflicts with bears — 15% higher than the previous 5 years and a 42% increase over 2023.

Those incidents led to nearly 100 euthanized bears and 68 relocations last year, with over half of all conflicts linked to bears digging through trash. Residents are also impacted, with nearly half of the 5,022 reports in 2024 resulting in property damage.

To try to decrease interactions with the animals, wildlife officials are asking state residents to secure their waste from the 20,000 bears estimated to live within the state. They’ve put together a list of suggestions for how state residents can bearproof their homes, cars, and campsites.

“These conflicts could all easily be reduced if the public takes some simple steps around their homes and properties to prevent bears from accessing them,” Colorado officials said in a news release. “By taking some simple precautions, you can avoid human/wildlife conflicts and help to keep bears wild.”

Bearproofing 101

While trash bins left unsecured represent a common attraction for hungry bears, it’s not just a problem among local residents.

As seen in the above video, conflicts between humans and bears increase dramatically during the summer months, when bears are more active and Colorado becomes a hotspot of outdoor recreation. The data comes from a bear reporting system launched by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) in 2019.

The system has recorded 26,913 total sightings and conflicts with bears since then, enabling wildlife officers to make better management decisions, they said. If you see a bear causing trouble in an urban area, make sure you call CPW and add your report to the growing body of data.

And while trash remains the biggest concern — it’s not the only one. About 21% of all human-bear conflicts involve homes with livestock, chickens, and beehives. Another 18% of incidents stem from bears accessing birdseed, pet food, barbeque grills, coolers, and refrigerators.

If you live in Colorado — or plan on camping there this summer — you should also take the following precautions, CPW said.

How to Bearproof Your Home

• Keep garbage in a well-secured location. Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.
• Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.
• Keep garage doors closed. Do not leave pet food or stock feed outside.
• Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.
• Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.
• Don’t allow bears to become comfortable around your house. If you see one, haze it by yelling at it, throwing things at it, and making loud noises to scare it off.
• Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.
• Clean the grill after each use, cleaning up thoroughly after cookouts.
• If you have fruit trees, don’t allow the fruit to rot on the ground.
• Talk to your neighbors and kids about being “Bear Aware.”

Bear Aware: Cars, Campsites, Travel

• Lock your doors when you’re away from home and at night.
• Keep the bottom floor windows of your house closed when you’re not at home.
• Do not keep food in your vehicle: Roll up windows and lock the doors.
• When car-camping, secure all food and coolers in a locked vehicle.
• Keep a clean camp, whether you’re in a campground or in the backcountry.
• When camping in the backcountry, hang food 100 feet or more from the campsite. Don’t bring any food into your tent.
• Cook food well away from your tent; wash dishes thoroughly.

How to Protect Chickens, Bees, Livestock

• Keep chickens, bees, and livestock in a fully covered enclosure, especially at night. 
• Construct electric fencing when possible.
• Don’t store livestock feed outside.
• Keep enclosures clean to minimize animal odors. 
• Hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure as a scent deterrent.

“While educational initiatives and community efforts have helped mitigate some issues, the need for improved coexistence practices, including securing attractants and reinforcing bear-proofing measures, remains critical,” Colorado officials said.