Cub killed in Roxborough prompts warning about mother bear

A black bear cub killed after being hit by a truck in the Roxborough area prompted a warning from the Douglas County Sheriff Wednesday to stay out of greenbelt areas nearby.

The cub was hit by a crosswalk on Rampart Range Road in the morning hours. But by the afternoon, the concern had passed. 

"We have no reason to believe that the mom is still in the area. So she's most likely gone on looking for food and for shelter as she normally would," said Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Kara Van Hoose. 

Bears differ from humans in their reactions to the death of their young. 

"We don't have evidence that bears mourn. "We've seen evidence that they do move on pretty quickly," she said. 

Bears are frequent in the area. Over the years, longtime residents Tom and Myrna Orlando said more have moved from neighborhoods farther west into their neighborhood on the east side of Rampart Range Road as people closer to the mountains have learned to take care of their trash better. 

"I would say we get them probably close to every night. Checking out the garbage cans in everybody's driveway," said Tom. 

Some in his neighborhood he said still have to learn not to leave trash out. Roxborough has several dozen interactions reported to CPW so far this year, about the same number as last. 

"Bears are motivated by food. They're going to go wherever they can get the easiest meal possible," said Van Hoose.  

Yes, mother bears are protective of their cubs. 

"Normally if it feels like herself and her cub are under threat she'll either tell the cub to go up a tree or to run away from the danger and then maybe act offensively," said Van Hoose. 

But the mother bear was not likely to attack anyone. When the cub was killed it likely moved off soon after. 

"The mom is probably a little confused because the cub isn't obeying her instructions. So she'll maybe stay a little while in the area and then move on," she said.