TELLER COUNTY — Colorado Parks and Wildlife released video Monday showing officers scaring off a bear that was recently trapped near a home in Teller County.
While the officers in the video may seem mean, they're actually doing the bear a favor.
Hazing is a technique to discourage interactions between bears and humans. CPW said it saved a bear a "strike." Strikes are assigned to bears each time they are trapped following interactions with humans. Under CPW policy, if a bear receives two strikes, it is euthanized.
For this bear, it was shot with rubber slugs and chased by a CPW K9 officer as it was released from CPW custody.
The video can be seen below:
On Saturday @COParksWildlife officer Ian Petkash w/K9 Samson from @CPW_NE & officer Phil Gurule of @CPW_SE & volunteers Ron & Pam Sanchez used non-lethal rubber slugs & overhead explosives to haze a bear they trapped at a Teller County home. The hazing saved the bear a "strike." pic.twitter.com/ufxNaDfYCe
— CPW SE Region (@CPW_SE) August 19, 2019
Bears being comfortable around people is not natural behavior. K9 Samson is trying to reinforce/teach bears that people & dogs are not a good to be around. Samson & his wildlife officer partner Ian Petkash, along with officer Tim Kroening from @CPW_SE, saved this bear a strike. pic.twitter.com/rG7LxOR6Iu
— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) August 19, 2019
