News - Local
Agencies seek help to quell Aspen bear trouble
Posted: Mar 31, 2010 9:43 AM by Associated Press
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is looking for volunteers to educate the public about avoiding conflicts with black bears in the Aspen area.
State wildlife officers and local police killed 20 aggressive bears last year in Pitkin County, which includes Aspen. Some of the bears scrounging for food broke into homes and injured people.
Division of Wildlife spokesman Randy Hampton says the state is working with local agencies to form a volunteer "Bear Aware" team.
The city and county require bear-resistant trash bins to keep the animals from roaming through town for food.
The division has also proposed increasing the number of hunting licenses for bears in the Aspen and surrounding areas to try to manage the population.
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