Colorado Bear Sightings and Conflicts Increase 35 Percent in 2024

2024 has been a bear of a year for bear sightings and conflict with humans in the state of Colorado. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, interactions and sightings with Colorado bears is up over 35 percent from 2023.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife received 4,644 bear reports between January 1 and November 1, 2024. While this may seem like a normal number considering the population of Colorado, it is a staggering increase from one year to the next. One is in Colorado sanctioned as Area 15 has seen nearly double the sightings and conflicts from 2023 to 2024.

To reduce conflicts with bears, people must remain vigilant year round. Please use bear-resistant containers for your trash, lock your vehicles, lock your homes and windows, close your garage doors, and remove fruit that has fallen on the ground.

Said Area 15 Wildlife Manager, Adrian Archuleta, in the Colorado Parks and Wildlife news release.

Colorado's Area 15 Bear Reports

Area 15 is located in the Colorado counties of Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, and Montezuma. Part of the reason for so many reports of bears in this area is due to a spotty acorn crop in these counties. Sows with three and four bear cubs were notable and are a good sign of reproductive success. This could be one of the many reasons for the amount of reports by residents in these Colorado counties this year.

RELATED: 400 LB BEAR REMOVED FROM UNDER A COLORADO DECK

Both Larimer and Weld counties saw an average amount of bear conflicts this year. Most of these issues involved food sources. Bears in these areas were seen using burn scars in Larimer County to ear rose hips and raspberries. Sightings in Fort Collins were up significantly in 2024 as bears were searching for food.

More information on the reports and conflicts with Colorado bears in 2024 can be seen at cpw.state.co.us.