CPW doles out funding to help reduce Colorado bear-human conflicts
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is providing funding to multiple communities to help stop bear-human interactions where they shouldn't be happening.
Every Coloradan loves to see a bear or other wildlife, that's a part of why we're all here. But doing it the safe and ethical way for both bears and humans is a huge distinction when bears come into developed areas.
CPW grants were given to 14 different recipient groups and are of varying amounts. A total of 20 different groups applied for the funding. Steamboat Springs' Bear Proof Dumpster Enclosure Project is getting $162,000, Summit County's Bear Safe Summit Program is getting $145,000. That money can be used for things like education and in most cases, costly bear-proof trash cans for residents.
"We do our best to educate people, let them know the best practices that they could do to reduce these conflicts," CPW spokesperson Joey Livingston explained. "But these are the actions that you need to take, and a lot of them can be cost prohibitive."
It's no secret that we've seen plenty of bear conflicts in Colorado in the past, and continue to see them. Some bears are pushing further into cities than they have in the past and as they enter less wild areas they are no less dangerous.
One bear made a stop by Ollie's Pub in Breckenridge this summer, as server/bartender Jamie Kidd ran to close the doors to stop it from getting inside.
"Everyone was out on the boat looking at him swimming, I was like, 'Oh, ok, he's under the boat, he is going to get up here.'"
That's exactly what the bear did, and eventually ran off without incident, but many situations where bears are running around in the middle of busy cities have gone far worse, usually for the bear.
That's why the money is still coming out from CPW, who said besides deer, the bear population takes the most time to manage.
"Bears are the number one source of where, you know, where there's a human safety concern as well when it comes to bears and moving into urban areas," Livingston said.
