Full Breakdown
Bear Encounters Surge Across the Intermountain West Amid Drought
8/29/2026, 8:47:59 PM
Rising Conflict in Utah’s Communities
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) reports 168 bear incidents this year, double the 83 responses recorded during the same period in 2025. Black bears, Utah’s only bear species, obtain roughly 90 % of their diet from berries, acorns and other vegetation. A sequence of warm springs, hard freezes, extreme heat and prolonged drought has devastated those food sources, prompting bears to scavenge in “unusual areas,” according to DWR game mammals coordinator Chad Wilson.
Colorado’s Parallel Spike
Colorado Parks and Wildlife data show more than 6,000 bear sightings statewide this year—nearly double the previous year’s total. The surge has forced school districts in the Denver suburbs to issue “secure status” alerts, locking down campuses while bears roam nearby. Cherry Creek Schools placed four elementary schools and a high school on secure status after a bear was spotted at Tommy Davis Park in Greenwood Village.
Why Drought Drives Bears Into Towns
Weather extremes that have stressed Utah’s vegetation are affecting Colorado’s high country. Human expansion into foothills and canyon neighborhoods further narrows the space where bears can forage, increasing the likelihood of encounters.
Data & Statistics
- Utah incidents: 168 (2026) vs. 83 (2025) – DWR.
- Colorado sightings: >6,000 (2026) – Colorado Parks and Wildlife; 6,129 reported by *Deseret* (a slight discrepancy).
- Utah euthanized bears: 39 this year, up from 24 the prior year – *Moab Times*.
- Euthanasia increase: 63 % more bears euthanized statewide compared with 2025 – *Moab Times*.
Official Statements & Responses
- Chad Wilson (Utah DWR): “The weather this year has unfortunately had huge impacts on the normal food supply for bears, and they are scavenging in unusual areas. The likelihood of seeing a bear in places you wouldn’t think they would be is dramatically higher this year.”
- Abbe Smith (Cherry Creek Schools): “It is highly unusual that we have this many bear sightings. Period.”
- Faith Jolley (DWR): Bears may be euthanized if they act aggressively, show little fear of people, repeatedly return to populated areas, or cause significant property damage.
On-the-Ground Reports
- A black bear cub discovered in a window well near Mount Pleasant Elementary School was euthanized after DWR could not locate an accredited rehabilitation facility.
- Officials captured a 1.5-year-old, 100-pound male black bear in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood and relocated it to a safer habitat.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Colorado sighting totals differ: one source cites “more than 6,000,” while another provides the precise figure 6,129 for the same period. Both are attributed to state wildlife agencies.
- Utah lacks certified wildlife-rehabilitation facilities for bears, a gap highlighted by officials, but no detailed capacity assessment is publicly available.
What’s Next
Utah wildlife officials continue to urge residents to secure attractants—bird feeders, fruit trees, compost piles, beehives, pet food, grills and garbage cans—and to keep campsites clean. The DWR website *wildawareutah.org* provides detailed safety guidelines.
Colorado school districts plan to maintain “secure status” alerts throughout the season and are evaluating funding for bear-resistant infrastructure such as reinforced trash enclosures. Ongoing monitoring of drought conditions will shape future wildlife-management strategies across the region.
