By Shannon Lukens. (Cover photo taken today, courtesy Christy Bubenheim with Keep Bears Wild – Steamboat).
Photos courtesy Christy Bubenheim.
It’s Trash Day somewhere and the group “Keep Bears Wild – Steamboat” wants to remind everyone that the lid of your trash can needs to be closed and latched when you set it out in the morning. Bear-resistant trash cans are required in the City of Steamboat Springs but they don’t work if they aren’t shut, latched and secure. Christy Bubenheim with Keep Bears Wild says to not overfill the bear-resistant cans.
“I would say at least over 50% of the cans in Old Town this morning were not latched because they were overfilled. There were several cans that the bears had gotten into. It’s very frustrating that these cans are not being used properly.”
Never set your trash cans out on the street the night before.
If you see a bear, scare them away from you as safely as you can. They cannot become habituated to humans. Make them think humans are scary.
Never feed a bear, or any wildlife.
Always lock your vehicle doors, and keep your garage door shut and ground-level windows and doors secured.
For questions, call the local Colorado Parks & Wildlife office in Steamboat Springs at 970-870-3333.
Also, join the Keep Bears Wild – Steamboat Facebook page as it has many good tips and reminders. Keep Bears Wild – Steamboat on Facebook
Here is some good advice from the Granby Police Department.
Keep your doors locked and don’t leave the windows cracked. Remove anything with an odor, like food, trash and pet food. Don’t stash food and drinks, trash or recycling on a porch, patio or deck.
Bearproofing your home from Colorado Parks & Wildlife
Bear battling a Bear Proof Trash Can
Bear in Trash Can in Steamboat Springs
From Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Garbage kills bears
Much of what people throw away smells like food to a hungry bear. Standard metal or plastic trash cans won’t keep out bears. Once bears learn where it’s easy to get at the garbage, they’ll come back again and again.
Never leave trash or recyclables out overnight. Empty cans and boxes still smell like food. One study showed that simply putting trash out only on the morning of pick up cuts the chances of a bear visit from 70% to 2%.
If you must leave trash outside, buy a bear-proof container, build a bear-proof enclosure or install an electric fence. To avoid attracting bears, clean containers regularly with ammonia or bleach.
Bears that learn garbage = food sometimes come inside homes looking for more.
Don’t make it easy for bears to visit; keep bear-accessible windows and doors in your home and garage locked.