Bear spotted wandering through neighborhoods in the Denver metro area safely relocated
A wildlife officer gets prepared to transport the bear after it was tranquilized.
By Tori Mason
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LONE TREE, Colorado (KCNC) — A bear that made its way through multiple suburban neighborhoods in the Denver metro area was tranquilized and relocated over the weekend.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the bear was likely the same one previously spotted in the City of Lone Tree about two weeks earlier. The bear was also seen on the morning of May 31 in the 5800 block of South Genoa Court in the southern part of Aurora.
Later that day, a resident in the 27500 block of East Elmhurst Place in Aurora captured video of the bear and contacted authorities. Aurora police, Aurora Fire Rescue and CPW all responded to the scene.
CPW officials were able to safely tranquilize the bear and transport it to a more suitable habitat.
Officials believe the bear, which is likely a yearling, was lured further east into neighborhoods by easily accessible trash, bird feeders and pet food. While not considered dangerous in this instance, wildlife experts stress that bears entering residential areas is a growing issue in Colorado.
“Bears are going to find food where they can. Unfortunately, they see our trash as food,” CPW spokesperson Kara Van Hoose explained. “As long as they keep finding those unnatural food sources, they’ll stick around — and even continue moving into more urban areas.”
To reduce the chances of another close encounter, CPW urges residents to:
– Keep trash secured and stored indoors when possible
– Take down bird feeders during active bear seasons
– Store pet food and grills in secure locations
– Never intentionally feed bears
Van Hoose says people who see a bear should first make sure they’re in a safe location, then try to haze the bear from a distance by yelling, setting off a car alarm, or using air horns.
“We want bears to have a healthy fear of humans. That’s what keeps both bears and people safe,” she said.
Once CPW was able to locate the bear in Arapahoe County, they made the decision to catch the bear and then relocate it.
“This bear’s journey isn’t normal,” Van Hoose added. “It was likely driven by the availability of food. Every time it found food, it kept moving farther away from its natural range.”
Officials say that while bears can be difficult to track, community reports and videos are essential for locating and safely relocating wildlife. Residents are encouraged to report sightings directly to CPW during business hours or to local law enforcement.
As Colorado’s population grows and development spreads into traditional wildlife habitat, human-bear encounters are expected to increase. CPW says residents can play a major role in keeping bears wild by removing temptations from their homes.
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