Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Joe Lewandowski said four traps have been set to capture a handful of bears that have exhibited aggressive behavior, mostly breaking into homes in Rafter J and Edgemont Ranchsubdivisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t like traps unless we are concerned about human health and safety,\u201d Lewandowski said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had no euthanizes yet, but it\u2019s likely that if these bears are caught, they would be euthanized.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a case-by-case basis.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Geoff Reynolds, who has lived near Lake Durango for nearly 10 years, said he awoke to find a bear had broken into his house through a door that was closed but not locked, and rummaged through an indoor trash can and freezer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was quite alarming,\u201d Reynolds said. \u201cIt just so happens this door with force can be pushed open, and obviously he nudged hard enough. There\u2019s a deadbolt on there now.\u201d<\/p>\n
With above-average snowpack this winter, Bryan Peterson, of Bear Smart Durango, said one would have expected abundant vegetation in the wilderness and minimal human-bear conflicts.<\/p>\n
However, the recent dry spell in June has likely caused plants and grasses that bears rely on to dry up and lose nutritional value. And the acorns and berries that are a major staple of bears diet won\u2019t be available until August.<\/p>\n
As a result, reports of bear activity have notably increased compared to the last several years, and have spanned the entire county, Lewandowski said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t kept track of the exact number, but it\u2019s been dozens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Peterson, too, said he can\u2019t recall the last time he\u2019s received this many reports of bear activity, which include breaking into houses, cars or garages, getting into trash and taking down bird feeders.<\/p>\n
Still, Peterson said many of those conflicts could be drastically reduced if people remove attractants for bears.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much of bear activity currently being due to natural food conditions as opposed to there being a fair number of food-conditioned bears accustomed to obtaining trash, bird feed, domestic fruit, chickens and more, is debatable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Representatives with Durango Police Department and La Plata County Sheriff\u2019s Office could not immediately be reached for comment on this story, so it\u2019s unclear how many reports there have been of complaints and citations related to bears this year.<\/p>\n
However, Lewandowski offered a few tips for residents that could help reduce those conflicts.<\/p>\n
He said many reports this year have been a result of residents leaving their garage, screen doors and windows, open. He suggested closing and locking them.<\/p>\n
Lewandowski also said all attractants should be removed from vehicles, and that car doors should be locked overnight. People should put out the garbage for pick-up only in the morning, and are strongly encouraged to use bear-proof cans.<\/p>\n
Colorado Parks and Wildlife concluded after a six-year study on human-bear conflicts on select area around Durango that issues will continue to rise as the state\u2019s population continues to expand.<\/p>\n
A December 2015 Colorado Parks and Wildlife report showed human-bear conflicts are growing 4 percent a year, twice as fast as the state\u2019s population.<\/p>\n
So it\u2019s imperative that residents take steps so that bears do not become accustomed and habituated to having access to human food, Peterson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur relative inaction in making human foods, and namely trash, unavailable to bears is most likely a primary cause of active bears,\u201d Peterson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith continued growth, and tepid preventative measures, it would be hard to argue that bears have access to less trash now than prior to the implementation of ordinances, starting in 2008, and meant to reduce the amount of trash available to bears.\u201d<\/p>\n