Colorado Bear Coalition

Help Save Colorado Black Bears

A human problem, not a bear problem. 
Black bears are naturally very shy, resourceful and intelligent. And they’re opportunistic. Why spend all day feeding in the wilds on acorns and berries when knocking over a couple bird feeders or a trash can in a neighborhood will result in the same amount of calories in a much shorter time? Humans provide a steady stream of readily-accessible foods for bears and bears quickly learn to utilize these resources.

Unfortunately, this is bad news for the bears. Bears that have been rewarded with human foods often lose their natural wariness of people and become more bold - damaging property, breaking into vehicles, homes and structures, and presenting a risk to the general public.

Once habituated to human food sources, options for wildlife officials are very limited. And far too often, bears pay the ultimate price. Some are captured and moved far away, oftentimes with limited success or survivability. Some are dealt with lethally - hundreds of black bears die each year in Colorado as a result of human and bear conflict. 

Fortunately, there are proven solutions that work in reducing human and bear conflict, and the Colorado Bear Coalition is at the forefront in working to help make communities safe for both people and bears.

Community Participation  
We believe that strong local leadership is necessary to achieve effective and sustainable change. We identify and support community leaders so that they do not have to reinvent the wheel. We provide the infrastructure so local groups can be successful. 

With a statewide reach and influence, we work with all stakeholders, including state and federal agencies, elected officials, law enforcement, waste haulers, business leaders, nonprofits, and more. We work collaboratively, bringing stakeholders together to brainstorm ideas and develop solutions. 

Through our coalition of regional groups, we bridge the gap between community and CPW. With our decades of experience and empowered community leaders, we know where change needs to be made. We work to strengthen the whole system by working together to develop a shared solution. 

NOW is the time for change
We have the momentum and the experience to make much-needed change that will reduce human-bear conflict and the needless death of bears killed each year due to human negligence. 

We know what to do and how to do it and have the recognition to make a difference. 

What we don't have is the funds needed to make the impact we are poised to make. 

With a growing coalition, our network is rapidly gaining strength, knowledge and respect, leading to a growing ability to establish sustainable infrastructure to remove attractants and protect bears.  

How your donation will help the bears

1. Creation of an Independent Bear Review Board to review every bear death and relocation that is a result of human-bear conflict. In addition to reviewing CPW response, this review board will review all stakeholder actions prior to the incident including state and federal agencies, elected officials, law enforcement, waste haulers and community. Recommendations will be made to continuously improve how bears are managed while reducing the need to handle bears.  
2. Development of a Community Bear Kit that will provide critical tools and resources for communities to create a local bear organization and get the support they need.
3. Revision of State Statute making it easier for wildlife officials and communities to enforce the illegal feeding of bears and other wildlife. (This includes removing the need to prove intent of luring bears.) 
4. Adoption of Statewide Requirements for adequate trash management and enforcement for local municipalities in bear country.
5. Focus on Community Empowerment to make local changes. We empower communities to create the infrastructure needed to proactively change human behavior - the source of nearly all human-bear conflict.
   
   

The Bears Thank You!