Colorado wildlife officers are warning residents after a black bear died in Colorado Springs after getting trapped inside an unlocked car while searching for food. The Colorado bear trapped in a car weighed about 300 pounds and was found dead Monday after likely spending several days in the summer heat.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the bear left heavy damage inside the vehicle as it tried to escape. The agency responded by urging people to lock vehicles, keep windows closed and remove food and other attractants.
Travis Sauder on unlocked doors
Wildlife officer Travis Sauder said bears commonly open unlocked vehicle doors while looking for food. He said, "Typically what happens is they pull the door open, get in, get their food and then they leave."
Sauder added, "But sometimes the door closes behind them, and they have trouble figuring out how to get out." That sequence matches the Colorado Springs case: the bear got inside, could not get back out and died before it was discovered Monday.
Colorado bear activity
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said bear activity is rising sharply because poor natural food conditions have reduced berries, nuts and other sources. The agency told 9News that drought, low mountain snowpack and late freezes have cut into the food supply, while bears are also entering hyperphagia, the period before winter when they eat almost constantly to build fat reserves.
From Jan. 1 through Aug. 13, the agency received 6,129 reports of bear sightings and conflicts. That was nearly double the 3,115 reports during the same period last year and already above the 5,299 reports recorded during all of 2025.
Manitou Springs for
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the total was on pace to be the highest since it began digitally tracking bear-human interactions in 2019. The agency shared photos of the destroyed vehicle as a reminder to keep doors locked, windows closed and food, trash, pet food and scented items out of vehicles.
The warning came after a similar incident July 29 in nearby Manitou Springs for several hours before firefighters freed it. In Colorado, the next safe move for residents is simple: lock the car, clear out attractants and give any bear an escape route instead of a target.
