Screenshot of video shared by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. See full video embedded in article below.

Screenshot of video shared by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. See full video embedded in article below.

As a reminder to Coloradans that bears are once again on the move, Colorado Parks and Wildlife shared a shocking video of a black bear lounging on a couch inside a home in Colorado.

The department says the video was captured four to five years ago in Colorado Springs, with the incident certainly being a cause for concern at the time and still a good teaching experience today.

In the clip, the bear appears to be rather docile, almost as if it's a house pet. This can be extremely misleading, as while bears may appear to be 'cute and cuddly,' they're very dangerous wild animals that can be unpredictable and can attack humans with little to no warning. A case like the one captured on video can be especially scary, as it's likely the bear would feel trapped in that situation when approached by humans, prone to act out in a defensive manner. This instance goes to show why it's so crucial to make sure doors and windows are secure in bear country, as curious and hungry bears are known for sneaking into houses in search of food.

While the video appears to show an up-close encounter with the bear, a reflection can be seen, probably indicating that the person is filming from a safe spot outside.

It's also worth noting that while Colorado Parks and Wildlife didn't reveal the fate of this bear, the bear's ear tag likely means it was euthanized following the break-in given the department's 'two-strike' policy. An ear tag typically indicates that a bear was involved in a human-bear interaction or other situation that resulted in intervention before, thus entering the home would be a second strike and would result in its death.

Coloradans should do their part to keep wildlife wild and as it relates to bears, this involves keeping homes and trash secure, giving them plenty of space, and hazing them away from human areas. It's also important to keep campsites clean and free of food or other scented items that may attract bears. Following these best practices might end up saving a bears' life.

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(1) comment

Lyle

If they want in your house (or car or anywhere else) “securing” doors and windows won’t even remotely stop them. A healthy fear of humans is the only thing that will keep them away and our bleeding heart, anti hunting coo coos and their agendas won’t let that happen.

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