A massive bear stranded in a tree garnered a fair amount of attention Sunday afternoon on the Animas River Trail, but the situation was another example of the potential danger of human-bear contacts.
Bryan Peterson, one of the founders of Bear Smart Durango, said some residents first reported the bear up a large Ponderosa behind the La Plata County Fairgrounds and the Durango Community Recreation Center around 7 a.m.
By about 1 p.m., Durango Police were alerted of the situation, and closed the heavily trafficked trail for about 15 minutes to allow the bear space to come down.
Cpl. Burke Baldwin said the bear was the biggest one he’s ever seen in town, estimating it at 350 pounds. But after the bear did not come down within those 15 minutes, Baldwin said DPD did not have the resources to keep an officer on site.
“We were hoping he’d come down on his own,” he said around 1:30 p.m. “Eventually he should just come down on his own.”
But Sunday afternoon, a crowd of interested passers-by hovered around the tree, photographing the bear, effectively cutting off the animal’s escape. Peterson said loitering around a bear struck in a tree is just about the worst thing you can do.
“Bears are pretty darn good at getting themselves out of trees by themselves, and even out of town,” he said. “The worst possible thing to do is to become part of a crowd forming around the bear. Now, you have created a very stressed out and unpredictable bear.”
At 8:30 p.m. Durango Police Department Sgt. William Sweetwood said he assumed the bear had left once darkness descended.
“We haven’t sent anyone back there. We’re trying to stay away. It likely calmed down and went on its way once it got dark and it felt more secure,” he said.
But in the heat of the afternoon, when temperatures reached the 80s, the bear was visibly strained and panting. Brendan Cusick, a Durango resident, said he grew more concerned for the animal’s well-being.
“Every time it quieted down, he’d head down,” Cusick said. “But then someone would show up and he’d crawl back up the branch.”
Baldwin said DPD only had three officers on duty Sunday, and they were needed throughout town. He said there wasn’t an immediate threat to human life, and the only real concern was people gathering and creating a dangerous situation.
“That was what we were afraid was going to happen,” he said. “We were kind of hoping people would be less likely to notice it if we just ignored it.”
At 3:15 p.m., the bear was still about 20 to 30 feet up the Ponderosa, much calmer and appearing to nap. By that time, the crowd had all but disappeared, the Animas River Trail was reopened, and most walked or biked by without noticing the animal.
Baldwin said later Sunday afternoon Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials had gone on site and determined no intervention was necessary, and the best thing to do was to leave the bear alone.
“There’s a lot of natural habitat there, so it’s a pretty normal place for bears to be,” he said.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
