Earth & Space
Published

400-pound bear found under deck of Colorado home

Wildlife officers in Colorado said this likely 10-year-old boar, a male bear, was looking for a good place to den for the winter. And possibly found it under the deck of a home in a residential Durango neighborhood.

By Chris Oberholtz Source FOX Weather

400-pound bear found under deck of Colorado home

Wildlife officers in Colorado said this likely 10-year-old boar, a male bear, was looking for a good place to den for the winter. And possibly found it under the deck of a home in a residential Durango neighborhood.

DURANGO, Colo. – You don’t want a black bear of this size in your yard. A 400-pound bear, to be exact. 

Wildlife officers in Colorado said this likely 10-year-old boar, a male bear, was looking for a good place to den for the winter. And possibly found it under the deck of a home in a residential Durango neighborhood.

Homeowners called the Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Wednesday after they saw the bear squatting just west of Needham Elementary. It was one of the largest male bears they have ever seen in town, according to John Livingston, a public information officer for the southwest region of Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

AND THE WINNER IS: HERE’S THE FAT BEAR WEEK 2022 CHUNKY CHAMPION

It took two tranquilizer darts and five members of the wildlife staff to get the bear out from the deck and onto a trailer, so it could be prepared for relocation, Livingston said.

Image 1 of 4

Wildlife officers in Colorado said this likely 10-year-old boar, a male bear, was looking for a good place to den for the winter. And possibly found it under the deck of a home in a residential Durango neighborhood. (CPW SW Region)

Image 2 of 4

Wildlife officers in Colorado said this likely 10-year-old boar, a male bear, was looking for a good place to den for the winter. And possibly found it under the deck of a home in a residential Durango neighborhood. (CPW SW Region)

Image 3 of 4

The bear underwent a quick health exam and was then equipped with a microchip and ear tags. A reversal drug was then given to counteract the effects of the tranquilizer.  (CPW SW Region)

Image 4 of 4

While the agency has not had to handle many bears in the town limits of Durango this year, it does highlight the importance of removing attractants around the home as bears look to bulk up before denning for winter. (CPW SW Region)

The bear underwent a quick health exam and was then equipped with a microchip and ear tags. A reversal drug was then given to counteract the effects of the tranquilizer. 

"It quickly came to and was given a ride far away from Durango for relocation in a place with suitable bear habitat, good food to eat and where it is unlikely to encounter hunters this season," Livingston said.

BEAR-LY RECOGNIZABLE: LIVE CAMERAS SHOW HOW THE FUZZY CREATURES CHANGE AFTER HIBERNATION

While the agency has not had to handle many bears in the town limits of Durango this year, Livingston said, it does highlight the importance of removing attractants around the home as bears look to bulk up before denning for winter.

The CPW said that bears need 20,000 calories a day to gain enough fat to survive the winter without eating or drinking during hyperphagia.

They also say that bears have noses 100 times more sensitive than humans and can literally smell food five miles away.In order to continue to get enough calories, some bears have lingered into more local areas to find food as their sources have been dwindling. Many attribute that to the significant drought. 

With such powerful noses, CPW officials warn people not to leave trash out or in their vehicles. 

Bears have recently been found in Colorado and have become aggressive in their pursuit of an easy meal, destroying property, and even getting inside cars.