Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers euthanized an approximately 300-pound male black bear Saturday, September 6, 2026, in Durango after a field necropsy revealed its stomach and upper intestine were completely blocked with trash, including whole plastic garbage bags and at least 10 non-flushable cleaning wipes.

CPW received a report of a lethargic bear behind a home on Delwood Avenue that was unresponsive to human presence. District Wildlife Manager Luke Clancy arrived to find the bear moaning and severely bloated, unable to move beyond standing and pivoting. After darting the animal and conducting a health assessment, three CPW officers made the decision to euthanize it.

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The lower intestine was empty, further confirming a full blockage above. District Wildlife Manager Stephanie Taylor noted the plastic was so compacted that the bear would no longer have been able to digest food and would have slowly starved to death over months, if it did not die from illness or infection sooner.

"This is the sad reality of bears eating trash," said Clancy. "We had not seen this bear since 2012, when it was caught during the research study in Durango. We estimated this bear was now 18 years old. It's a pretty horrible way to die for a wild bear that we hadn't seen involved in any conflict or nuisance behavior in all these years."

A bear matching the size and coloration of this bear had broken into multiple homes one block away approximately one month earlier. After reviewing photos and videos submitted by homeowners, officers determined this was more likely than not the same bear. CPW already had a trap set five houses away for a bear that had broken into a home three days earlier.

Despite a lack of natural foods for bears below 7,500 feet around the Durango area this year because of a late spring freeze and prolonged, historic drought, the condition of the euthanized bear underscored why bears should not have access to unsecured trash or other human-provided food sources.

"We've all heard the oft-repeated phrase 'garbage kills bears' for years," said Bryan Peterson of Bear Smart Durango. "And many have asked how in the world does trash get bears killed? Well, in many ways, but sometimes literally. Our community's tepid approach to trash management got a bear killed. Thankfully, its pain and suffering was ended."

"We are in the midst of a uniquely bad bear year that will likely only get worse before it gets better," Clancy said. "If I can pass anything along to our community it would first and foremost be to stay safe, and second to keep bears safe. Securing trash and other attractants assures both."

Under Durango Ordinance No. O-2018-6, amended April 17, 2018, all trash and recycling containers within the city must be secured or stored to prevent wildlife from accessing their contents. The ordinance applies to all owners, occupants, and persons in charge of premises in the city. Failure to comply can result in a fine of $100 for a first offense and $200 for a subsequent offense.

Under Colorado law, placing food or edible waste in the open to lure a wild bear is a crime. That law was strengthened by HB26-1342, which took effect August 12, 2026. The amended law lowers the mental state requirement from intentional to knowingly placing food or edible waste where there is a reasonable probability of luring a wild bear, repeals the requirement that a first offense receive only a warning, and raises the fine for a third or subsequent offense from $2,000 to $5,000.

CPW urges all residents, visitors, and business owners to follow these BearWise basics: never feed or approach bears; secure food, garbage, and recycling; remove bird feeders when bears are active; never leave pet food outdoors; clean and store grills after each use; and alert neighbors to bear activity in the area.

More information on living bear-safe is available at cpw.state.co.us/living-bears.