doOlorado Gov. Jared Polis last week signed new legislation aimed at reducing human-bear conflicts across Colorado, hoping to increase safety for both residents and the black bear population. The state government ended HB26-1342a measure that increases the responsibility of those who knowingly attract bears through poor management of food waste and garbage.
«Reducing human-animal conflict starts with doing our part to properly store our garbage and lock up food waste so we can safely share our communities with our furry friends emerging from hibernation. This new law takes another step to protect bears and humans alike, and I thank the sponsors for their work,» Governor Polis said in a Press release.
The responsibility falls on humans
By amending existing state statutes, the new law eliminates the requirement that officials prove that a person acted with “intentional” malice. Prosecutors now only need to prove that an individual acted “knowingly” by leaving out attractants such as garbage or unsecured food in areas where bears are likely to be present. Law enforcement officers also now have the discretion to issue a warning or immediately move on to a violation upon finding a violation, eliminating a previous requirement that required a warning for all first-time violators.
It is humans’ responsibility to manage coexistence with black bears, which means eliminating their access to human food and garbage. Photo: National Parks Gallery
According to an interview with GearJunkieColorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) spokesperson Bridget O’Rourke noted that campers who don’t use the bear boxes provided at campgrounds risk receiving an immediate fine without warning, emphasizing that «you’re supposed to be paying attention.»
New fines for negligent campers
Under this new law, if you leave out trash or food products that end up attracting a bear, you face a $1,000 fine. The financial consequences for repeat offenders have also increased. Fines for a third or subsequent violation have increased to $5,000, up from the previous limit of $2,000. This in hopes of enforcing responsible behavior on campers in Colorado; In 2024, more than 50% of bear sightings and conflicts were related to garbage and food waste.
Wildlife officials note that these measures are intended to curb careless human behavior that leads to dangerous habits for bears. When bears learn to associate human environments with easy food sources, they often return to those same places, often forcing CPW to relocate or euthanize the animals. In the last two years alone, more than 170 bears have been euthanized due to conflicts in the state.
When black bears become accustomed to human food and areas, the risk increases for everyone. Even campers who properly store their food and trash will face the consequences of an aggressive, habituated bear. Photo via Yellowstone National Park
«If a bear comes to eat in an area with people, even if we relocate it, it knows to return to that place, and that’s because of human behavior,» O’Rourke told GearJunkie. «It’s not the bear’s fault… We want them to be afraid of humans so they don’t come at us.»
State officials and wildlife advocates see the new policy as a way to give law enforcement consistent tools across the state to intervene before human-bear interactions become fatal for either party.
Featured image: Yellowstone National Park
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