DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported a 28% decrease for 2021 bear sightings and conflicts compared to the average for the previous two years.

Since the implementation of a new tracking system in 2019, CPW has recorded 14,013 reports of sightings and conflicts with bears. Nearly one-third of those reports are bears getting into the trash. With more than 90% of a bear’s diet comprised of Mother Nature’s bounty, the lack of moisture created a deficit in the availability of berries, grasses, nuts, and other food.

“One of the biggest things that determines what level of bear activity we are going to see as far as human-bear conflicts is whether we get good monsoonal summer moisture,” Adrian Archuleta, Area Wildlife Manager for CPW out of Durango said. “That is really critical in order to make the berries and acorns pop. In years where we get good moisture and the food mast is readily available and abundant, we don’t tend to have as much interactions and conflict. In years where it is very dry or we have a freeze event, a late frost, it can be very detrimental.”

The eastern side of the Continental Divide received a sufficient amount of precipitation which most likely caused the reduction in bear activity last year. The southwestern part of the state also reported fewer bear sightings and confrontations as moisture levels aided in the growth and provided sustenance for the animals. But the northwestern part of the state was in severe drought and experienced an uptick in bear reports.

Other reasons officials are getting calls for bear activity are birdfeeders, livestock and other open food sources in human-populated areas.

“We need help from local communities to develop strategies to secure garbage and other attractants across bear habitat,” Kristin Cannon, deputy regional manager for CPW’s northeast region said. “Ultimately, it will also require individuals to take some responsibility and follow proper guidelines on living appropriately with bears to protect them.”

Why people don’t report bear activity

CPW said one main reason people do not report bear sightings or movement is that they are afraid the animal will automatically be euthanized. But of the 14,013 bear reports CPW received in the last three years, only 2.3% resulted in euthanization, the department said.

Wildlife officers haze bears when releasing them away from populated areas to inflict fear for future human encounters. Here’s a breakdown of how bear incidents have been handled over the last seven years:

2021: 66 euthanized, 51 relocated
2020: 158 euthanized, 118 relocated
2019: 101 euthanized, 44 relocated
2018: 79 euthanized, 24 relocated 
2017: 190 euthanized, 109 relocated
2016: 66 euthanized, 16 relocated
2015: 115 euthanized, 40 relocated

The state population of bears is approximately 17,000-20,000, according to CPW. The black bear is the only species of bear in the state, but they can be brown, blond, cinnamon and black in color.