Bears, mountain lions and moose showing up in Northern Colorado cities

Black bears, mountain lions, moose and elk have all been seen in Fort Collins, Windsor, Wellington, Loveland and Greeley in late summer and early fall, prompting some on social media to wonder why they are seeing wildlife in urban settings.

Despite the frequent social media posts about wildlife sightings in the area, Brandon Muller, Colorado Parks and Wildlife assistant area wildlife manager for Fort Collins, said it’s been business as usual.

“From our perspective, nothing has been out of normal,” he said.

He said the agency doesn’t believe wildfires west and northwest of Fort Collins are why residents are seeing wildlife in urban areas.

Muller said bears typically come into cities and towns this time of year to feast on apples and other food up to 20 hours a day, putting on weight, called hyperphagia, as they fatten up for winter.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a news release that more than half of bear incident reports in 2023 occurred in August, September and October. 

Moose have been seen on the east and west side of Fort Collins in recent weeks. Muller said moose are known to do “walkabouts” — wandering about until eventually heading back to the mountains, which he said the agency believes the moose seen in the area are doing now.

In July, the state wildlife agency captured a moose near Wellington and returned it to the mountains west of Fort Collins. It was one of three in the area at the time.

He said mountain lions have been seen in the north Fort Collins area and Wellington. One also was seen in northwest Loveland. He said wildlife uses the Poudre River and irrigation canals to travel.

“Mountain lions like deer and there are a lot of deer in the area, so that’s why sometimes people see them in or close to town,” he said.

Elk have been seen on the west side of Loveland, and a recent social media post showed some near Thompson Valley High School on the city’s southwest side. Muller said there is a resident elk population in that area.

He said if people see bears, mountain lions and moose, the agency recommends they report the sightings so the agency can keep track of them.

The wildlife agency’s Fort Collins office number is 970-472-4300.

He said reporting sightings doesn’t necessarily mean the wildlife is a threat, resulting in the agency trapping and removing it.

“We will not touch every animal that comes into town but will usually check out the reports to determine the situation,” he said. “If a bear is aggressive, we don’t want any person to be injured by a bear or if wildlife is around a busy intersection, we don’t want to work an animal that could cause harm to it or anybody.”

His best advice is to report the sighting and enjoy the wildlife from afar so as not to stress the animal.

“They are still wild animals and you never can predict their behavior,” he said.

How homeowners can prevent bears from becoming a nuisance

Here are tips from Colorado Parks and Wildlife:

• If you have fruit trees, don’t allow the fruit to rot on the ground.
• Keep garbage in a well-secured location. Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.
• Use ammonia to clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors.
• Keep garage doors closed and car doors locked.
• Don’t leave pet food or stock feed outside.
• Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.
• Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. It is recommended not to hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.
• If you see a bear, haze it by yelling at it, throwing things at it and making loud noises to scare it off.
• Clean your grill after each use, and clean up thoroughly after cookouts.