LIVING IN BEAR COUNTRY … | Crystal River Park Homeowners Inc

This cute little brown bear took a liking to Crystal River Park

Then our bird feeders

Then our recycling bins

Then even breaking into some homes.

The Colorado Department of Wildlife tried to relocate the bear twice … after the 3rd complaint, they had the bear euthanized.

Bear Facts

Black is a species, not a color. In Colorado many black bears are blonde, cinnamon or brown.
Over 90% of a bear’s natural diet is grasses, berries, fruits, nuts and plants. The rest is primarily insects and scavenged carcasses.
Black bears are naturally shy, and very wary of people and other unfamiliar things. Their normal response to any perceived danger is to run away.
In Colorado, most bears are active from mid-March through early November. When food sources dwindle they head for winter dens.
With a nose that’s 100 times more sensitive than ours, a bear can literally smell food five miles away.
Bears are very smart, and have excellent memories. Once they find food, they continue coming back to that location for more.
During late summer and early fall months bears need 20,000 calories per day to gain enough weight to hibernate through winter without food or water.
Bears aren’t naturally nocturnal, but frequently travel at night to avoid human interaction.
Myth: While bears tend to slow down during the winter, they are not true hibernators. Bears do go into a deep sleep during the winter months, but may wake up during warming periods and are known to be “grumpy” when they come out of their dens in search of food.