Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials remind the public that it is not okay to feed bears or other wild animals.
On Tuesday, officials with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) found a bear cub that was hit and killed while trying to cross Highway 73 in Evergreen, only to discover that the cub had bird seeds and human food waste in its stomach. CPW believes that the bear cub was trying to get to its source of human food.
"It died crossing a busy road to get unsecured trash, bird feeders & people intentionally feeding it," said CPW on Twitter.
*Please note that this article includes graphic images that may be disturbing to readers.*
This bear cub was hit on HWY 73 crossing between neighborhoods in Evergreen. An examination of stomach contents found it full of bird seed, cut up cantaloupe & human food waste.
— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) August 11, 2020
It died crossing a busy road to get unsecured trash, bird feeders & people intentionally feeding it. pic.twitter.com/AJXGdnuV6d
Intentional and unintentional feeding alters how bears use the landscape, concentrating them in areas that create risk to humans and the lives of bears.
— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) August 11, 2020
Nearly every year, wildlife officials remind people to make sure their trash and waste are secured and that feeding wild animals poses danger not only to the humans, but the animals. Earlier this year, a deer had died from cancer and a stomach full of birdseed.
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