Why You Probably Won't Run Into Brown Bears In The Colorado Wilderness

Though grizzly and brown bear are two names often used interchangeably, there are slight differences. Only a certain group of these animals are referred to as brown bears, and that is those commonly found along the coasts, especially in Alaska. The rest of the species, Ursus arctos, is referred to as grizzlies. This means, if you want to be technical, you're never likely to find brown bears in states like Colorado, so far from Alaska. However, even if you use their other name, grizzly, you might not ever stumble across one of these bears in the state, even in the summer when you're more likely to run into a bear. 

They were once naturally abundant in Colorado and found pretty much everywhere, from the tall mountains to the flat prairies. However, in the 1800s, people began to hunt grizzlies, viewing them as a threat to their safety. In the 1930s, the government said they also posed a danger to agriculture, and open hunting began and ran for the next several decades. According to wildlife officials, the last one in the state was killed in 1979. 

That's not to say there are absolutely none left. David Petersen, an author who spent many years studying brown bears (especially in Colorado), has his own opinions. Speaking with Colorado Public Radio (CPR), he shared, "I think it's a minuscule chance. I don't think there are any left, but who knows? It's a big wilderness out there and they were extinct for all those years and then one pops up." However, in an email with CPR, a member of the Colorado Parks & Wildlife named Joe Lewandowski was steadfast in the department's opinion on the matter, "There are no grizzlies in Colorado or the South San Juans."

Of course, if you really want to see a grizzly bear, you can still have an opportunity to do so in Colorado. In fact, there are three places you can encounter these massive creatures. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs houses two males, Emmett and Digger. The Denver Zoo also has a grizzly, a female called Tundra. Finally, if you want a chance to see several of these large animals in Colorado as if they were roaming their native land again, you can visit The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado. There, they have several grizzlies.

Additionally, while brown bears aren't found in the wild in Colorado, there is another native species in North America that you can find in the state. There are also black bears, Ursus americanus. Though they are smaller, and are generally less aggressive, they can still cause problems. This is why, if you're heading on an outdoor adventure in Colorado, you need to be aware of the common camping mistakes that attract bears to your site. 

There is a possibility to come across grizzlies in their native environment in the state one day in the future. Utah faced a similar grizzly hunting problem, though their last one went extinct in 1927. However, there's a chance people may start seeing grizzly bears in Utah once again as ones in other states grow more bold and begin to explore further and further outside their range. This eventually may also happen in Colorado.