New Tracking System For Colorado Bear Encounters Shows Thousands Of Interactions

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials say a new tracking system for bear encounters shows thousands of interactions in 2019.

"We got almost 5,400 bear reports in to us," CPW spokesperson Jason Clay said.

As part of a pilot program, wildlife officers started using a new app last April to track wildlife encounters across the state. The tracking system makes reporting easier and more in-depth.

"We broke it down to ways that we think are some problems as far as people living with bears in mind," Clay said.

The breakdown of those calls includes 1,728 for bears getting into trash, 512 were bears entering a dwelling and 303 involved bears breaking into vehicles.

"It will help us to go back to the specific communities to say here is what we are seeing where you live," Clay said.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is once again asking the community to take precautions. They suggest using non-traditional bird feeders and using what's known as a bear "unwelcome" mat. The mat usually consists of a flat board cover in nails that homeowners can place under windows or in front of doors that bears might try to enter.

"What we are talking about is deterrents to keep bears away and you can tailor it to your property, your house," Clay said.

Their ultimate goal with the new data is to reduce those encounters.

"And keep our wildlife wild," Clay said.

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