Colorado saw fewer human-bear conflicts in 2023 due to good natural food production compared to recent years

Colorado Parks and Wildlife received 3,526 reports of sightings and conflicts with bears in 2023, which is a 21 percent decrease from the average number of reports received in 2019 - 2023. Trash continues to be the number one source of conflicts between humans and bears.

Of the 3,526 reports CPW received in 2023, 1,795 resulted in property damage to a shed, garage, home, vehicle, fence, etc. Around 92 percent of property damage reported from bears is linked to an attractant of some kind, with over 51 percent linked to trash, 20 percent to livestock, chickens and beehives, and 19 percent to bird seed, pet food, barbeque grills, coolers and refrigerators.

There are an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 bears in Colorado and every year the majority of incident reports involve bears trying to access human food sources. 2023 was no different with trash continuing to be the number one source of conflicts. Other constant sources of conflict included birdfeeders, livestock and bears accessing open garages and other human-originated items that are left unsecured. 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.

Nature and human behavior play a role in the amount of bear activity that we see annually. Drought conditions and other factors that may influence the availability of natural food crops for bears, such as a late freeze, vary across the state, as does the behavior of people when it relates to human-bear interactions.

In 2023, the majority of the East Slope received adequate temperatures and rainfall to produce natural forage for bears. Compared to 2022, reports on the East Slope remained steady with CPW’s Northeast region receiving 905 reports and the Southeast regions receiving 696 reports.

CPW’s Northwest region has the largest bear population in the state and received 1,228 reports, a 35 percent reduction from the previous year. Despite good natural forage in the area, an unreasonable number of bears were reported entering homes. Reports remained steady in CPW’s Southwest region at 697.

Below is the number of reports and bears euthanized and relocated by CPW annually since 2020:

2023: 3,526 reports, 33 relocated, 63 euthanized
2022: 4,147 reports, 59 relocated, 94 euthanized
2021: 3,598 reports, 51 relocated, 66 euthanized
2020*: 4,806 reports, 118 relocated, 158 euthanized

*2020 was a notoriously bad year for natural forage production with drought conditions and a late spring freeze severely limiting berry and shrub oak availability. These conditions led to a disproportionately high number of human-bear conflicts.

For more information, click here. To watch a progression map of reported bear activity across Colorado in 2023, click here.



Jeff
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