How to bearproof your home, vehicles and campsites

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ESTES PARK, Colo (KDVR) — A feeding frenzy is underway in Colorado’s high country as bears begin stocking up for hibernation.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says bears have entered hyperphagia — the process when bears eat and drink nearly nonstop as they fatten up for hibernation — and are now consuming roughly 20,000 calories a day.

That’s leading to an increase in human-bear conflicts, with more than a dozen break-ins reported in just the past week.

“Really, it’s a daily occurrence now: bears getting into vehicles that are unlocked, getting into houses that have their windows cracked,” wildlife officer Chase Rylands said.

Wildlife officials say bear euthanasia is most often traced back to human behavior and urge people to stay bear aware through the late summer and fall seasons.

Bear break-ins on the rise

In the past week, Rylands said four homes and eight cars have been broken into.

Another five additional “invasion” attempts were ended after homeowners scared away the bears.

“They’re looking to pack on 20,000 calories a day, so that’s equivalent to 40 Big Macs a day. So they’re going to be out there working hard, finding those sufficient calories,” Rylands said.

Rylands said CPW has noticed problems at a handful of resorts, hotels and rental properties, where tourists don’t always understand the situation.

Bear breaks into 8 cars in Estes Park (Credit: CPW)

Education is key for tourists

Mark Needham manages Estes Park Condos, which handles a number of properties along Fall River Road. He said bear break-ins happen “sometimes more often than we would like to see.”

Last week, Needham said a guest woke up to quite a scare.

“A guest left their condo window open, and he (the bear) got in through the window at about 3 a.m. and gave them a nice wake-up surprise,” Needham said.

Thankfully, the bear ran away, but Needham said it’s a good reminder to educate people coming into the area.

The company has started asking guests to sign a “wildlife and bear safety” contract, reminding people to lock their doors, remove food from vehicles, and not leave windows open at night.

“We were always telling them at check-in process what to do and what not to do, but having them actually sign it and bring it back — it really resonates a little bit more and is a better reminder for the guests,” Needham said.

Rylands, the wildlife officer, said it’s a step he appreciates.

“We gotta protect our bears so we can keep that wild essence here in Estes Park,” he said.

What can cause conflicts between bears and people?

CPW warned that easily accessed human food, trash, fruit trees, shrubs or other attractants with strong odors can lead to conflicts between people and bears, “as a bear’s natural drive to eat can overcome its fear of humans.”

Drought conditions have also impacted the black bear’s natural diet of berries, fruits, nuts, plants and grasses that grow naturally in the foothills and forests.