Bears are showing up around Colorado homes more often as ongoing droughts reduce the available food in their natural habitats, a shift that raises the odds of dangerous encounters for both people and wildlife.
Mesa County has seen one of the sharpest increases, with reports in 2026 running hundreds higher than they were during the same period in 2025.
Here's what to know
According to KJCT, before winter, bears normally depend on berries and other natural forage-based foods for sustenance. Wildlife officials say drought is making that food harder to find, sending more bears toward towns in search of easy calories.
The outlet reported that Mesa County logged 257 bear reports between April 1 and Aug. 7, 2026, compared with 28 during that same stretch in 2025.
Rachael Gonzales, who serves as public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife's northwest region, said to KJCT the state's unusually dry conditions are changing bear behavior sooner than some residents might expect.
"Unfortunately, the extreme drought and even the prolonged drought conditions that we've experienced this year has started to force bears into more populated urban areas," Gonzales said.
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KJCT also reported that early snowmelt has lengthened the dry spell. With some natural foods scarce and others ripening ahead of schedule, bears may have to travel farther to find enough to eat.
People can intensify the problem when bears reach neighborhoods and find food that has been left accessible, including trash, pet food, birdseed, barbecues, coolers, refrigerators, and even food inside vehicles.
More background
These bears are usually searching for food, not looking for a confrontation with people.
Garbage appears to be one of the biggest draws for bears in Colorado.
Gonzales emphasized just how powerful a bear's sense of smell can be, saying: "Think about that lost gum wrapper at the bottom of your car underneath the seat. You have no idea that it's there until you're cleaning out your car. A bear can actually smell that."
KJCT said bears are also entering hyperphagia, the feeding period before winter.
"They may spend 20 hours a day trying to pack on 20,000 calories. So if you think about that, that's about 100 donuts a day," Gonzales said.
An easy meal can turn a bear that is simply passing through into one that keeps returning. Once that happens, the animal can be drawn back into risky situations around homes, roads, and people.
What can be done?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the best first step is to remove attractants before a bear finds them.
That means securing garbage, bringing pet food indoors, locking up feed for chickens or ducks, and avoiding leaving food in vehicles when possible, KJCT reported.
KJCT reported that officials say there is no reason to panic if a bear is only passing through a yard. But if it starts lingering, getting into containers, or acting too comfortable near a home, residents should report it before the pattern sets in.
"We don't want that behavior to continue. We don't want a mother to teach her cubs that this behavior is okay," Gonzales said.
If a bear gets inside a house, residents should call 911. If it is outside on a property and getting into food or trash, KJCT reported that officials say to notify a nearby Colorado Parks and Wildlife office and give the animal space.
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