Drought Is Driving an 'Unprecedented' Surge in Bear Attacks Out West

Officials in the western U.S. are counting the days until the bear population goes into hibernation. The ongoing drought has driven bear activity to record levels this year.  

Record-High Bear Activity Fueled by Drought

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) recently confirmed 10 bear attacks on people this year, good enough for the highest number on record.  Two black bear attacks were reported just days apart this month. A bear bit a woman on the arm through her tent at the Rio Grande National Forest near South Fork on September 11.

The second attack this month happened in the mountain resort town of Durango on September 13. A teen girl said that a black bear entered her bedroom through an open window at about 2 am. The 17-year-old said she hid under the blankets as the bear sniffed around and scratched her. The animal eventually left the room after the girl stood up and began to yell. CPW was able to set a trap and relocate the bear to a more remote location.

A similar situation is unfolding in other parts of the West. Wildlife personnel in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, were forced to euthanize a black bear when it continued to come dangerously close to humans. 

The persistent drought conditions and a lack of natural food for the bears are blamed for the surge of activity. Frequent wildfires this summer have reduced the amount of food available for the bears, forcing them to travel greater distances to find nourishment. As a result, the bears are ending up at campgrounds and neighborhoods with more frequency.

The shortage of food becomes a greater issue as bears enter the fall hyperphagia season. This is the time of the year when bears build their fat reserves before going into hibernation, consuming as many as 20,000 calories per day.

Grand Teton National Park rangers had to lethally remove a bear after a series of close encounters. The decision to euthanize the bear near Delta Lake in Wyoming was made after several reports of the animal approaching visitors. Officials observed the bear and found that it was difficult to drive away because it had become conditioned to eating human food.