IDA Calls for “Bear Proof” Laws Following Black Bear Killing

Animal protection organization charges that use of lethal force is overkill

Boulder, Colo.—Following the controversial killing of a black bear in Boulder by Colorado Division of Wildlife agents, international animal protection organization In Defense of Animals (IDA) is calling on Boulder officials to implement a non-lethal plan to deter “nuisance” bears from coming into the city for food. The organization is urging them to introduce an ordinance to require residents and businesses to use only “bear proof” garbage containers.

Division of Wildlife (DOW) agents killed the bear on September 14th after a previous relocation out of Boulder, claiming he was a nuisance. DOW has a two-strike policy that a bear can only be moved from a city once before he must be killed. California-based IDA is urging city officials to adopt a law similar to those in Aspen, Vail, Steamboat Springs, and Telluride, and enact other measures to discourage bears from coming into the city.

Prior to hibernation in late fall/early winter, bears consume between 20,000 to 30,000 calories a day to prepare for their long hibernation. During that time they eat approximately 20 hours a day and will travel 60 or more miles to find food. Bears have been known to return to areas where they have found food before, i.e., cities, garbage receptacles, etc. They can smell food well in excess of a mile away.

Rita Anderson, a Boulder resident who works for IDA plans to lead the charge to change current policy and educate Boulder residents about coexisting peacefully with bears. “So-called nuisance bears are the product of our encroachment into their habitat and then our carelessness with enticements,” said Anderson. “Bears spotted in our neighborhoods are often needlessly killed—not for what they have done wrong—but for doing what comes naturally, to find food for their survival.”

Because “nuisance” bear behavior is almost always associated with non-natural attractions like garbage, compost, and pet food, practitioners of non-lethal management suggest limiting bears’ reliance on human food sources is the most practical starting point to reducing human-bear encounters in cities.

According to The Get Bear Smart Society (GBS) in British Columbia, “Community involvement is an integral part of the program. It is not possible for a community to coexist with bears unless people and bears BOTH respect each other’s boundaries.” GBS’ non-lethal programs have reduced the number of so-called “problem” bears destroyed in Whistler by 85%.

For information on coexisting with wildlife, please visit www.idausa.org.