$1 million in grant funding to help reduce human-bear interactions in Colorado

A new program will hopefully reduce human interactions with bears in Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Gov. Jared Polis announced the state is handing out $1 million to about a dozen organizations and communities.

Last year, CPW received 3,700 reports of bear interactions and sightings. In many cases bears go after trash cans, and in some cases, the grants will provide money for bear-proof cans.

Grants also went to small nonprofits that focus on removing natural food sources that are in the wrong place, like an old orchard in Boulder.

"That fruit that would fall to the ground it would attract animals like bears so we're removing those attracts from animals like black bears and keeping them safe and encouraging them to stay in the natural habitats where its a much safer space for them," said Melanie Hill who works with Community Fruit Rescue.

This is all an effort to try and reduce the number of bears wildlife officers have to put down each year.