A 125-pound male yearling black bear took an ill-advised stroll near the intersection of Barnes Road and Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs on Thursday, where wildlife officers tranquilized it and hauled it out of the neighborhood. After officers loaded the bear into a wildlife trailer, they later gave it a wake-up drug and released it several hours later in what they described as a better bear habitat. The move is the latest close call between residents and bears as the animals reemerge for spring.
According to the Denver Gazette, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the bear was a male yearling weighing about 125 pounds when officers found it near the Barnes and Austin Bluffs area. The paper reports that CPW officers immobilized the animal, moved it into a wildlife trailer, and released it several hours south in a more suitable habitat. The account, the outlet notes, came from a CPW Southeast Region post on X.
How Officers Got The Barnes Road Bear Out Safely
KRDO's coverage includes photos credited to CPW wildlife officer Deme Wright that show crews working around the sedated bear before transport. The station reports that officers used a wildlife trailer to move the animal out of the neighborhood and administered a wake-up drug before releasing it later the same day. Those images, along with CPW postings, make up the primary public record of how the situation played out on the scene.
Why Bears Keep Showing Up Around Town
This latest relocation follows a string of recent run-ins. The Denver Gazette reported that wildlife officers found a mother bear and two cubs under a deck last weekend, while the Colorado Springs Gazette covered a bear rescue from a tree in late April. Statewide reporting from Axios notes that CPW logged thousands of sightings last year and says a dry winter can push bears into neighborhoods in search of food. Officials say that the pattern of warm, dry conditions combined with development near bear habitat helps explain the recent flurry of calls.
Tips To Keep Bears Out Of Your Yard
Colorado Parks and Wildlife urges residents to secure trash, remove bird feeders, pick up fallen fruit, and avoid leaving pet food outside, and its Living with Bears resources offer more detailed neighborhood tips. To report sightings or get regional guidance, CPW maintains information and a public line for wildlife reports at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and many local pages list CPW's main line as 303-297-1192. Wildlife managers say early reports help officers move animals before conflicts escalate.
If you see a bear that looks sick, injured, or refuses to leave, officials advise keeping a safe distance and calling local authorities or CPW so trained crews can respond. Officers continue to remind residents that prevention, especially eliminating food attractants, is the best way to keep bears wild and neighborhoods safe.
