Colorado Bear Attacks Have Quadrupled This Year. Here’s Why
An early-season freeze combined with an ongoing drought has triggered a surge in bear attacks across Colorado. Here is a look at how the weather is contributing to an increase in bear activity across the Centennial State.
Bear Attacks on the Rise in Colorado
Hungry bears are being forced to travel farther into urban areas, increasing attacks on humans. Bears that live on the state's Western Slope have been dealing with food shortages for months thanks to an extensive drought.
The problems started this summer when one of the hottest summers on record in this part of the country dried up the creeks and streams in western Colorado. As a result, the resident black bears migrated downhill toward the Colorado River in search of food and water.
These food shortages have been exacerbated by an early freeze. The cold temperatures wiped out much of the state's berries and acorns. The timing could not have been worse, as this is when the bears need to put on weight in preparation for the long winter.
Wildlife rehabilitator Nanci Limbach said that the food search naturally sent the bears closer to residential areas and traffic. State wildlife officials had already fielded 12 reports of bear attacks by October 23. This is four times the number reported throughout all of 2025. Seven of these attacks occurred by August 27.
The freeze gripped much of western Colorado during the middle of October. The town of Rifle saw the mercury dip to 31 degrees on October 16 and then to 32 degrees the following night.
The Pauline S. Schneegas Wildlife Foundation is stepping in to try to mitigate the danger to the bears. The center near Silt, east of Grand Junction, is now caring for 32 bear cubs. The cubs have come to the center for various reasons, including losing their mothers to vehicular accidents.
About half of the bear cubs were severely underweight when they were brought to the center. This is not unusual, as young cubs often have problems foraging for food when separated from their mothers. Two of the most recent arrivals came in weighing less than 20 pounds each. For context, Limbach said that they should weigh at least 50 pounds at this age.
Community Effort to Help Bears
The community is chipping in to help. Talbott’s Farms in Palisade has been donating about 2,000 pounds of fruit a week to help nourish the bears. The center is also getting hundreds of pounds of leftover pumpkins from the community.
Limbach detailed that "We got a yearling in that was underweight, skinny and bad hair coat and had an injured paw. With the unlimited food provided, it is now around 100 pounds and will be released at the end of the month to hibernate."
Although most bears hibernate during the winter, Limbach said that they will keep the small cubs awake so that they can continue to eat and put on weight. The hope is that they will be released back into the wild in the spring so that they can resume their normal lives.
Limbach explained that her crew will also be watching the heavier cubs that will hibernate this winter at the backcountry facility. According to Limbach, “Usually this facility in January has over 4 feet of snow. I camped up there in January. 16 this year, and the mud was over my ankles, and there was only 2 inches of snow. Some ground was bare. Never have seen anything like that up there. This winter had better be better!”
The team is planning to transport the hibernating bears from the facility's dens to cages and then haul them into the mountains using snowmobiles. This transport is expected to happen in late January or February. Limbach said that these bears will then finish the hibernating weeks in snow caves or artificial dens. “In March or April, they will come out of those dens, be on their own and join the natural progression of bear life," said Limbach.
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