With the arrival of spring and warmer temperatures, people in Boulder can expect to see more bears, and city officials are reminding people to secure their trash and their livestock in preparation.
“Boulder, of course, is a habitat for a lot of diverse wildlife, including black bears,” city spokesperson Cate Stanek said. “Every spring they come out of hibernation and wander around.”
The first sighting this year happened in mid-March on Spring Valley Road, according to information from the city.
The region including Boulder County last year led the state in bear break-ins to homes and garages as well as cars and other vehicles. Of the nearly 5,000 Colorado bear reports in 2020, one third of which involved trash attractants, Boulder County had the third-highest number with 520 incidents reported.
To ensure bears do not get into people’s trash, those who live west of Broadway and south of Sumac Avenue in Boulder are required to use bear-resistant trash containers any time trash and compost are put out for collection, according to the city. For the rest of the city, bear-resistant containers are required if the trash and compost are put out the night before pickup.
“If bears find food, they’re more likely to return,” Stanek said.
If they stay in town, the bears are at risk of being killed for a variety of reasons such as being hit by vehicles, being electrocuted by power poles, ingesting harmful chemicals and losing their fear of people, which may lead to them being euthanized by wildlife officers, according to a city news release.
Boulder requires people to have bear-resistant containers and those containers must be working. If it’s broken, Western Disposal customers can request a replacement cart. One-Way Trash or Republic customers are responsible for repairs or replacement.
“The most important thing is that if anyone has any problems with the mechanisms, if they’re not closing properly, they need to let us know right away,” Western Disposal’s Community Relations Manager Kathy Carroll said.
Western Disposal commits to replacing the container within 24 hours, though it often happens the same day if people call early enough, she said. Customers pay an extra $3 a month for the bear container.
“But that puts the maintenance on us,” Carroll said.
Those who do not use a bear-proof container risk a fine of $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second and $500 for the third. Most people report improper trash storage directly to the city’s code enforcement team through Inquire Boulder, the city’s online customer service portal.
In addition to securing their trash, people also should be aware that livestock can attract bears. The city noted in a release that goats, chickens and bees should be kept in secure locations that are protected from bears.
