By Shannon Lukens.

 

A very sick bear was euthanized Saturday by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers. Concern for the condition of the bear had been called in by several residents in the Fish Creek Falls Road area. The bear was having trouble walking. It didn’t respond to neighbors or wildlife officers when they tried to get it to leave or move on.

 

It responded by laying down and napping, repeatedly.

 

Christy Bubenheim with the Steamboat Springs office for CPW said the bear was emaciated and very sick. He looked to be about four to five years old.

 

The body is being taken to the health lab at CSU in Fort Collins for a necropsy, to see why it was so sick.

 

Bubenheim says it is OK for residents to call the local CPW office if they have concerns about wildlife, so that they can professionally assess the situation. The office number is 970-870-3333.

 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says to be Bear Aware right now as bears are entering the hypherphagia stage, where they are eating to gain calories before hibernation.

Definition from the National Park Service: During the fall months, bears eat and drink nearly nonstop. They need to put on weight to prepare for winter and hibernation. This process is called hyperphagia.

National Park Service Article “When Bears Prepare for Winter”

Bearproofing your home:

• Keep garbage in a well-secured location.

• Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.

• Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.

• Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.

• Don’t leave pet food or stock feed outside.

• Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.

• Do not attract other wildlife by feeding them, such as deer, turkeys or small mammals.

• Don’t allow bears to become comfortable around your house. If you see one, yell at it, throw things at it, make noise to scare it off.

• Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.

• Clean the grill after each use.

• Clean-up thoroughly after picnics in the yard or on the deck.

• If you have fruit trees, don’t allow the fruit to rot on the ground.

• If you keep small livestock, keep animals in a fully covered enclosure. Construct electric fencing if possible. Don’t store livestock food outside, keep enclosures clean to minimize odors, hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure.

• If you have beehives, install electric fencing where allowed.

• Talk to your neighbors and kids about being bear aware.

• Keep garage doors closed.

Cars, traveling and campsites:

• Lock your doors when you’re away from home and at night.

• Keep the bottom floor windows of your house closed when you’re not at home.

• Do not keep food in your vehicle; roll up windows and lock the doors of your vehicles.

• When car-camping, secure all food and coolers in a locked vehicle.

• Keep a clean camp, whether you’re in a campground or in the backcountry.

• When camping in the backcountry, hang food 100 feet or more from the campsite; don’t bring any food into your tent.

• Cook food well away from your tent; wash dishes thoroughly.