Colorado wildlife officials are warning residents to lock their vehicles and clear out food after a black bear died inside an unlocked car in Colorado Springs. The bear weighed about 300 pounds and had become trapped after wandering in for food.
The warning lands at a moment when bear activity is rising sharply across Colorado. From Jan. 1 through Aug. 13, Colorado Parks and Wildlife logged 6,129 reports of bear sightings and conflicts, nearly double the 3,115 reports during the same stretch last year and already above the 5,299 reports recorded during all of 2025.
Wildlife officials said the bear likely spent several days in the summer heat before it was found Monday. By then, the animal had heavily damaged the vehicle’s interior while trying to get out. Officials did not explain exactly how the bear died, but the sequence is clear enough: the animal got inside, the door shut behind it, and the car turned into a trap.
Travis Sauder said bears commonly open unlocked vehicle doors while searching for food. “Typically what happens is they pull the door open, get in, get their food and then they leave,” he said. “But sometimes the door closes behind them, and they have trouble figuring out how to get out.” That simple habit is what makes these encounters so dangerous. A bear can open a car without much effort and still be unable to escape once the door swings closed.
The timing matters because bears are entering hyperphagia, the period before winter when they eat almost constantly to build fat reserves. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said drought, low mountain snowpack and late freezes have reduced berries, nuts and other natural food sources, pushing bears toward neighborhoods and parked cars more often. The agency also pointed to a similar incident on July 29 in nearby Manitou Springs, where a bear became trapped inside an unlocked vehicle for several hours before firefighters freed it and the animal later escaped into Pike National Forest.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is urging residents to lock vehicle doors, keep windows closed and remove food, trash, pet food and scented items from cars. Officials also say people should secure garbage, clean grills, bring pet food indoors and take down bird feeders during periods of increased bear activity. The message is blunt: if a car is left open and smells like a meal, a bear may get in — and it may not find its way back out.
