A black bear was spotted near Beattie Elementary Thursday morning, prompting the Poudre School District to place the school on safe status.
According to Kristin Cannon, deputy regional manager of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the original reports had the bear captured, but that is incorrect.
Cannon said by the time a wildlife officer responded to the sighting, the bear had already moved away from a resident who reported it. She said she was last seen running in a ditch north of the elementary school located at Swallow Road and Meadowlark Avenue in downtown Fort Collins.
She said wildlife officers are unsure of the bear’s whereabouts and are not actively tracking it. The bear was described as small and possibly a year old. She said if the public sees the bear give it space, do not pursue it and report the location to Fort Collins wildlife officers at 970-472-4300.
“We believe the bear is likely in the area and found a safe and quiet place to stay during the day before leaving tonight,” she said. “We don’t want to chase the bear around town like it could get hit by a vehicle. It might take a few days for it to go away, but that’s what we’re hoping for.”
A resident called to report the bear, according to a Fort Collins Police Services tweet. Social media posts reported the bear in the same area, with a photo on a Nextdoor post showing the bear at Beattie Playground.
The school resumed normal operations around 9 a.m., according to Beattie Elementary Principal Dave Patterson. Secure status means the doors are locked, but school remains in session.
Bears are more likely to be found in towns and cities along the lowlands this time of year as they prepare for hyperphagia by spending up to 20 hours a day trying to eat more than 20,000 calories to fatten up for the winter. according to state wildlife. agency.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife receives a handful or more reports of bears in Fort Collins each year. Zone 4, which includes Fort Collins and the northern half of Larimer County, had 68 bear reports last year, which was a 56% decrease from 2020, according to the agency’s bear report.
In November of 2021, a mountain lion was spotted near O’Dea Elementary School, located at Tulane Drive and Princeton Road.
Colorado reporter Bethany Osborn contributed to this story.
More: Tips for Rattlesnakes:What to do if you or your pet is bitten
Insulating your home
- Keep the waste in a safe place well.
- Only remove garbage on the morning of pickup.
- Clean litter boxes regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.
- Use a litter box or bear-proof bin.
- Don’t leave out pet food or stock food.
- If you have fruit trees, be sure to pick up any fruit that falls to the ground.
- Bird feeders are a major source of gold/human conflicts. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to November 15.
- Do not attract other wildlife by feeding them, such as deer, turkeys or small mammals.
- Don’t let bears feel comfortable around your home. If you see one, shout, throw things, make noise to scare it.
- Provide trash piles. Bears are attracted to the smell of rotting food.
- Clean the grill after each use.
- If you keep small livestock, keep the animals in a fully covered enclosure. Build an electric fence if possible. Do not store livestock feed outside, keep enclosures clean to minimize odors, hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure.
- If you have beehives, install electric fencing where permitted.
- Talk to your neighbors and children to be aware.
- Keep garage doors closed.
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
