Colorado Wildlife Officers Kill First Bear Of 2019
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - Wildlife officials in Colorado have killed a bear near Meeker after previously relocating it from Steamboat Springs. The Steamboat Pilot & Today reports that Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers killed the bear Monday after it disturbed a farmer's beehive.
Officers relocated the 2-year-old cinnamon-colored black bear on April 8 after the animal got into several residential dumpsters downtown.
Officers tranquilized the bear after it approached a day care center.
Steamboat resident Kevin Dietrich captured several photos of the bear.
"Such a great looking bear. Lock up the trash fellow downtown residents," Dietrich wrote on Facebook.
Steamboat area wildlife manager Kris Middledorf says this is the first bear the agency has killed in the state this year. Middledorf says days like Monday, where wildlife officials have to put down an animal, are "the worst."
Middledorf urges residents to be vigilant about securing their trash and other wildlife attractants.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)