news story--Colorado bears begin hibernation

[Emily]

http://durangoherald.com/sections/Featu ... inter_nap/

from the Durango Herald
Most bears are now settled in for their long winter nap
by Bryan Peterson
Article Last Updated; Thursday, November 19, 2009 12:00AM While searching up high for elk last month, I stumbled upon a very likely bear den.
Knowing that mid-October is when bears start settling into dens for winter hibernation, I had little desire to stick around and investigate further. Whether that had more to do with not wanting to possibly disturb a slumbering bruin, or it being a teeny bit unnerving, is open for debate.

Despite a common misperception, snow doesn't persuade bears to make their way toward their winter homesites. Wintry weather conditions have nothing to do with when bears enter dens - black bears doze through the months ahead solely to deal with dwindling food supplies.

Most bears are denned by the third week of November, although some (typically males) stay out longer, perhaps sensing they haven't added enough fat for hibernation. Human foods can, unfortunately, provide an easy caloric remedy. For more information on black bear hibernation, visit the blog at www.bearsmartdurango.org.

As bears nap away for the next five to six months, here's a quick review of the 2009 bear season.

It seemed to be a normal bear season in reverse; with higher-than-expected bear activity in the spring and summer months (while bears enjoyed excellent natural foods), followed by less-than-normal fall activity (typically the heaviest bear months), aided by an excellent acorn crop.

There were 618 bear sightings and incidents reported in 2009 in La Plata County, half as many as in the record-setting bear season of 2007 (1,274), but nearly three times as many as last year (228). For comparison, Vail, with similar bear habitat, had 221 bear reports this year.

Now on to some questions: Why are bear and trash laws necessary in our area? Ordinances sound overly burdensome.

The goal of any community wildlife ordinance is to first protect the safety of residents (picture the three Aspen residents attacked in their homes by bears this summer), by reducing the number of bears attracted into residential areas.

Communities have learned that you can't manage bears without first managing food attractants and that proper trash management needs to be given first priority.

To address this issue, both the city and county have passed laws that read basically the same: If you understand that our area has bears and that people and bears are not a good combination, have been open to educational efforts and store your trash so it is unavailable to bears - then nothing is required of you. However, once bears raid your trash, you are asked to either secure your trash or obtain a wildlife-resistant trash container, or face possible citations.

I thought Durango already had a bear and trash ordinance?

The county does, but the city does not. In September 2007, City Council passed policy revisions with the intent of reducing bear and trash issues.

However, the city is considering drafting a wildlife ordinance to be in place next spring, joining Mancos, Rico, Ouray, Telluride, Crested Butte, Basalt, Minturn, Aspen, Snowmass Village, Vail, Steamboat Springs, Palmer Lake and Winter Park in having similar community ordinances.

bp@frontier.net Bryan Peterson is director of Bear Smart Durango, formed in 2003 to educate residents about safely and respectfully coexisting with bears and to advocate for policy changes. For more information, visit www.bearsmartdurango.org

[liontracker]

respectfully coexisting with bears and to advocate for policy changes

The Herald always makes me feel warm and fuzzy!LOL