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Colorado bears are loading up for winter — and porch pumpkins are on the menu
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says bears are in a fall feeding phase and may be drawn into neighborhoods by pumpkins and unattended Halloween candy. Officials urge residents to bring decorations indoors overnight and make noise to scare bears away if they encounter one.
As Colorado bears bulk up for winter, wildlife officials are asking residents to bring jack-o’-lanterns and unattended Halloween candy inside. The food can attract bears searching neighborhoods for easy calories, particularly as drought and recent wildfires affect food availability in some areas.
Bears are in hyperphagia, a period of intense feeding before hibernation, said Bridget O’Rourke, a public information officer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Bears can consume about 20,000 calories a day during this time, she said.
A pumpkin left on a porch looks like food to a bear, O’Rourke said. Bowls of candy set out for trick-or-treaters can also draw them in. Because bears can smell food from miles away, officials say Halloween displays and treats can create risks even in neighborhoods that have not regularly seen bears.
O’Rourke recommends putting pumpkins in a garage overnight and checking with neighbors about recent bear sightings. Residents in areas where bears roam should also keep bear spray accessible, she said.
If a bear appears, O’Rourke advised people to make themselves heard by shouting “Hey bear!” loudly to drive it away. Bears that repeatedly seek food near homes or injure people may be euthanized, she said, making it important to discourage them from approaching people and property.
Colorado averages about three bear attacks a year, but the state had recorded 11 by mid-October, according to the figures cited by wildlife officials.
Officials say people can still celebrate Halloween, but should avoid leaving food outdoors and take precautions where bears may be active.