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Trying to pack on the pounds before hibernation, bear activity is picking up in and around Durango.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s definitely been an uptick in reports of bear incidents in the last week,\u201d said Matt Thorpe, wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. \u201cIt\u2019s what we expect this time of year: that surge of activity before bears go into hibernation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Every fall, bears enter \u201chyperphagia\u201d \u2013 a voracious feeding period when bears eat as many as 15,000 to 20,000 calories a day as they try to fatten up before heading to their dens for the winter.<\/p>\n
This feeding frenzy, however, brings many bears into towns or neighborhoods looking for easy foods left out by humans, namely in the way of unsecured trash.<\/p>\n
In the past couple years, the city of Durango has delivered more than 2,000 bear-resistant trash cans to homes around town, while at the same time, instituting a $100 fine to residents who fail to lock their cans and a bear breaks in.<\/p>\n
Steve Barkley, the city of Durango\u2019s code enforcement officer, said it was a relatively quiet summer in terms of bear activity. In the last month, however, more residents are reporting bears rummaging through trash.<\/p>\n
Barkley said Thursday morning he was on his way to issue the first citation of the year to a homeowner in downtown Durango who failed to properly lock a trash.<\/p>\n
He noted some of the disturbed trash cans are experiencing issues with the latching mechanism. Residents won\u2019t be fined if this is the case, and are asked to report broken trash cans to the city so repairs can be made.<\/p>\n
La Plata County Animal Control enforces the county\u2019s recently enacted trash ordinance aimed at curbing conflicts with bears. Travis Woehrel, director of Animal Protection, did not return calls seeking comment for this story.<\/p>\n