A black bear approached a man reading roadside in Colorado. He remained still while the bear sniffed him, then walked away without aggression.

Social Context

Colorado Parks and Wildlife follows the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee’s human-bear conflict framework, emphasizing ‘bear-aware’ education in suburban-wildland interfaces. Local ordinances in mountain counties require bear-resistant trash storage to reduce attractants.

Safety Tip

When encountering bears in non-aggressive contexts, speak calmly, back away slowly, and never run—carry EPA-approved bear spray and know how to deploy it within 60 seconds.