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This summer has seen an increased number
of bear sightings in PBH and adjacent areas of Boulder.
The following was sent to the PBH HOA by
Claire Solohub, District Wildlife Manager - Boulder North. She can be
reached at 303-291-7142.
Don’t attract bears to
your neighborhood!
A fresh apple pie is cooling on the
kitchen counter. The weekly buildup of trash is stored in the shed.
Squirrels scamper around collecting nuts that have been left out for them,
birds eagerly devour seed from the feeders on the deck, and foxes feast on
chicken scraps from last night’s barbecue. Sound like a typical scene from
your neighborhood? What’s wrong with this picture? Everything, if you live
in black bear country.
Similar situations are occurring everyday
in Colorado, leading to conflicts between bears and humans -- mostly
annoying, but sometimes dangerous. Bears have an incredible sense of smell,
and they follow their noses – straight to areas with birdfeeders (including
hummingbird feeders – a favorite!), pet food, trash left out overnight,
trash that is improperly stored in garages, sheds or trailers, and greasy
barbecue grills.
Bears soon learn to skip the hard work of
finding berries, grubs and grasses and head straight to the nearest trash
can to fill up on family leftovers. Needing to consume up to 20,000 calories
per day during the fall, when they are preparing for hibernation, the need
to eat often overpowers their natural fear of humans. Bears have broken
into vehicles, sheds, garages, and even houses in their search for food.
Most of this property damage can be prevented, however, by taking some
simple precautions:
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don’t put up bear-accessible birdfeeders between
the months of April and October;
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don’t keep trash inside a shed or cabin;
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put trash out the morning of pick-up instead of the night before;
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keep your yard and grill clean; keep pet food indoors;
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use bear-resistant trash containers whenever possible;
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and don’t feed ANY wildlife other than songbirds.
Not only is feeding big game illegal, but
it will also attract bears and mountain lions to your yard. Once you are
notified by the Division of Wildlife that bears are in the area, you must
take action to avoid conflict with bears including the securing or removal
of outdoor trash, grills, food, birdfeeders or any similar food source or
attractant. After one official warning, failure to comply will result in a
fine of $100 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 for
a third or subsequent offense.
Share this information with your
neighbors, as one person’s carelessness can lead to bear problems for the
entire community. Help keep bears wild and humans safe! |
