With the official start of spring only a week away, Coloradans aren’t the only creatures excited to spend more time outdoors; black bears will soon start to emerge from hibernation.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman John Livingston said the Durango office received one report of bear activity last week. Male bears are beginning to leave dens and females with cubs will do the same beginning in April. Livingston said he even found paw prints in his own yard.

After several months of hibernation, bears will be searching for food, and Livingston is urging that residents take all the standard bear-related precautions: do not leave animal food outside, put trash cans on the curb the morning of pickup and ensure that bear-proof containers are properly latched at all times.

“A lot of their diet is vegetation at first,” he said. “Their stomachs need time to get up and running again after not being used for five months.”

He said the moist winter bodes well for bears because foraging material is likely to be in ample supply.

However, the snow may also push more wildlife, including bears, onto roads, Livingston said. Given the recent time change, he is urging motorists to take extra caution especially around the dawn and dusk hours.

“With our snowpack that seems to be persisting right now, animals may be looking for that easier way to get around,” he said.

U.S. highways 160 and 550 are listed as high-risk areas for wildlife collisions. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, 41 bears were recorded as roadkill in 2022 in Region 5.

More information on living with bears can be found on CPW’s website.

rschafir@durangoherald.com