Colorado bear activity surges in Douglas County as drought pushes wildlife into Front Range

Amid Colorado's drought, bears are following their noses to the Front Range, where there have been several bear sightings in developed areas in recent weeks. For some, the move has been deadly.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says there's been a 155% increase in bear activity this year in Douglas County alone. Four different bears this month have died in the county. Three of them were hit by cars. One was shot.

"One larger one, one small one, and they would come across the wall, and then she would have to pause here, and wait for the little one to catch up," said Castle Rock neighbor Pam Walters. "We've been watching them and the new babies for years."

Walters shared numerous recent videos of a mama bear and her two cubs passing through Walters' Timber Ridge home.

"You love to see the wildlife," Walters said.

Scenes like it are becoming more common in Colorado suburbs and in Douglas County. As historically low snowpack limits food in bears' natural habitat, it pushes them into the Front Range.

"They need water, and if we have a drinking fountain, they're going to come to our yard," Walters said.

Earlier this month, the mama bear Walters often sees was shot by someone near Castle Rock's Terrain neighborhood.

"We were all just heartbroken. The whole neighborhood," Walters said.

The bear had to be put down by CPW. Her two cubs were sent to a rehabilitation center. The agency is now investigating the initial shooting.

"It's just sad. She was here first. You know the bears were here long before we were here, and we need to adapt to their lifestyle and not just come in and take over and shoot them," Walters said.

Two other bear cubs were found in a Roxborough home this week after deputies responded to a call about a break-in.

"My girlfriend was in the kitchen, and then she just yells out, 'There's a bear in the backyard,'" said Lone Tree neighbor Spencer Vander Griend.

Wednesday morning, Vander Griend captured pictures of a juvenile bear walking through his yard.

"Just crazy, cute little juvenile bear," Vander Griend said.

As he and his girlfriend rushed to warn neighbors to bring their pets inside, he heard something.

"We hear tires squeal and then crash," Vander Griend said. "I did hear one thing, and it was just, 'I just hit a bear!'"

The bear had been hit by a car on Yosemite Street. The driver wasn't injured, but CPW says the bear later died from internal injuries.

"We were pretty sad. He was a cute little guy," Vander Griend said.

Neighbors fear these bears won't be the last to lose their lives in the suburbs this summer.

"Never seen it. My neighbor has lived here for quite a few years, and he was as shocked as me to hear that there's a bear back here," Vander Griend said.

"We're worried about the animals. The wildlife needs to be protected, and we need to be sure we don't overbuild and push them out of their habitat," Walters said.

The best thing you can do to protect bears is remove their access to food near your home. Secure your trash, keep bird feeders out of bears' reach and do not deliberately feed the animals.

You can find more tips for living with bears here.