Bears on the Hunt: Colorado’s Wildlife Crisis | Denver News

Bears are flooding Colorado neighborhoods this year—over 6,000 sightings already, double last year’s total—driven by drought and wildfires that stripped them of natural food. With bears in hyperphagia mode, eating nearly 20 hours a day to fatten up for winter, they’re raiding trash cans, bird feeders, and BBQ leftovers. Officials warn that habituated bears pose serious risks, so a new law now lets officers ticket homeowners for leaving out food—even if unintentional—with fines soaring up to $5,000 for repeat offenders. But the real solution? Secure your trash, bring in bird feeders, keep pet food indoors, and clean grills. Report bear activity early—because the easiest meal for these animals should stay in the wild, not your backyard. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e3dd6b89138aefaf