Every year, bears attracted to human food sources damage property, vehicles and even homes. Bears don’t know they’re doing anything wrong. They’re just following their super-sensitive noses to the most calories they can find. Bears that find food around homes, campgrounds and communities often lose their natural wariness of people.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is charged with protecting and preserving the state’s wildlife. Every time we must euthanize a bear, it’s not just the bear that loses. We all lose a little piece of the wildness that makes Colorado so special.
In today’s episode, we’re talking with Area Wildlife Managers from around the state about being Bear Aware. We also learn how local communities play a huge role in limiting human-bear conflict and how CPW grant opportunities can help extend the work being done in those communities. Gain a newfound appreciation for these charismatic creatures and learn how you can help keep Colorado’s wildlife wild.
Podcast hosted by John Livingston, Southwest Region public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Produced by Rachael Gonzales, Northwest Region public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Art19 is the host platform and people can also find the podcast online at https://art19.com/shows/colorado-outdoors.
2 Responses
I was down at the creek getting some water behind my house just last Friday when I came across what I first thought was a neighborhood dog and turned out to be a bear. Though we were both startled, he (or she) proved to be more scared upon coming face to face.
Aldo Leopold had some ideas on predator control in his book Game Management. It’s chapter 10. Probably a copy floating around the office somewhere.