Fattest bear ever? See the Colorado cake monster that is ready for winter
"We thought we had seen really fat Durango bears before. But this one takes the cake," Colorado wildlife officials said. "It also probably ate the cake. Every cake."
Colossal Colorado bear raises eyebrows (and appetites)
Nestled near the New Mexico border, the small southwestern city of Durango has long been celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes and diverse wildlife. However, Colorado wildlife officials say a recent visitor has stolen the show.
DURANGO, Colo. – Colorado has a cake monster on its hands, and it has probably eaten every dessert in Durango.
Nestled near the New Mexico border, this small southwestern city has long been celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes and diverse wildlife. However, state officials said a recent visitor has stolen the show – a colossal bear, so remarkably large, it is redefining the meaning of "fat."
"We thought we had seen really fat Durango bears before. But this one takes the cake," the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Southwest Region said. "It also probably ate the cake. Every cake."
Colorado has a cake monster on its hands, and it's probably eaten every dessert in Durango.
(Colorado Parks and Wildlife)
Colorado officials report that over 90% of a bear's diet consists of grasses, berries, fruits, nuts and plants. The remainder is primarily insects and scavenged carcasses.
While this particular black bear might not have raided local bakeries, the animal's impressive size is a testament to its ability to thrive in Colorado's wilderness.
The animal is equipped with a nose that is 100 times more sensitive than the human nose and can detect food from a distance of 5 miles, according to wildlife officials.
Most Colorado bears are active from mid-March through early November. In the fall, they enter a period of compulsive overeating (hyperphagia), feeding for 22 hours a day and needing to gain 20,000 calories daily to survive hibernation. When food sources dwindle, they seek winter dens.
"When he sits, how does he not just roll over?" wildlife officials joked. "Genuinely need to know how much more this black bear thinks he needs to eat before finding a den this year?"
Yes, he's truly a "thicc boi," exclaimed wildlife officials, noting the bear's impressive fat reserves.
FILE – Enormous bear 'raids' garage fridge, scoffs fish sticks and strawberry sauce
Footage captured by Andrew Raymond Scheirer II shows a large bear in a garage pawing at a bottle as it licks up the spilled contents.
These intelligent creatures have excellent memories, and once they discover food near communities, they are likely to return.