{"id":21296,"date":"2025-07-24T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/ring-ring-aggressive-bear-in-the-neighborhood\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T22:05:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:05:41","slug":"ring-ring-aggressive-bear-in-the-neighborhood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/ring-ring-aggressive-bear-in-the-neighborhood\/","title":{"rendered":"Ring, ring \u2026 aggressive bear in the neighborhood?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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A bear spotted digging through a person\u2019s trash earlier this month. (Courtesy of Bear Smart Durango)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Emergency officials warned residents of an \u201caggressive\u201d bear Tuesday evening in west Durango.<\/p>\n

A Code Red alert from \u201cLa Plata Emergency\u201d was issued at 8:15 p.m. to residents in the Delwood Avenue and Arroyo Drive neighborhoods. The alerts, sent by text and phone call, urged residents to stay indoors.<\/p>\n

Durango Police Department sent the alert after the bear had reportedly entered an unoccupied home, said John Livingston, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman.<\/p>\n

By the time DPD and CPW officers made it to the scene, the bear had left the house and was found lingering in the area, Livingston said.<\/p>\n

It did not respond to hazing techniques, and attempts by CPW officers to tranquilize it were unsuccessful, at which point the code red alert was sent out.<\/p>\n

The alert was largely to inform the residents about the large law enforcement presence in the area, Livingston said.<\/p>\n

CPW officers chased the bear through the residential area, as far down as north Main Avenue, but they were unable to catch it.<\/p>\n

As of now, the bear remains \u201cat-large.\u201d<\/p>\n

If caught, CPW will euthanize it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all want to help wildlife persist and thrive in their natural habitat, and help our populations continue to thrive,\u201d Livingston said. \u201cBut in situations such as this, we just can\u2019t have bears inside people\u2019s homes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colorado has a two-strike policy<\/a> for black bears. If CPW receives a call about a bear rifling through trash, a car trunk or a kitchen \u2013 wildlife officers capture it, mark it and relocate it to the wild.<\/p>\n

If the same bear is then caught engaging in similar behavior a second time \u2013 it\u2019s euthanized.<\/p>\n

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