In a distressing incident in Colorado, a black bear met a tragic end after spending several days trapped inside a vehicle. In its desperate attempt to break free, the bear wreaked havoc on the car’s interior before it was discovered lifeless.
Weighing approximately 300 pounds, the bear likely endured its ordeal for multiple days before being found in Colorado Springs. This unfortunate discovery was reported by The Denver Gazette, shedding light on the challenges wildlife face in developed areas. Read more here.
Travis Sauder, a wildlife officer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), explained to The Gazette that bears often have the intelligence and nimbleness required to open unlocked car doors during their search for food. However, they can frequently find themselves in a predicament if the door shuts behind them.
“Usually, these bears open the door, get their food, and exit,” Officer Sauder noted. “But in some cases, the door closes, leaving them bewildered and unable to find their way out.”
A black bear discovered trapped inside a vehicle in Colorado Springs illustrates the ongoing interaction between wildlife and urban settings. (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)
The deadly encounter comes as Colorado experiences an unusually active year for bear sightings and conflicts.
CPW received 6,129 reports of bear sightings and conflicts between Jan. 1 and Aug. 13, nearly double the 3,115 recorded during the same period last year, according to The Gazette.
The number has already surpassed the 5,299 reports recorded during all of 2025.
Wildlife officials have linked the increase in encounters to poor natural food conditions. Low snowpack and late freezes have reduced some of the food sources bears typically rely on, pushing the animals to travel farther and take greater risks in search of calories, Sauder told the newspaper.
The timing adds to the concern as bears enter hyperphagia, the period when they consume large amounts of food and water to build fat reserves ahead of winter.
The interior of a vehicle is heavily damaged after a black bear became trapped inside in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)
CPW advises people living in bear country to eliminate potential food sources and other attractants that can bring bears close to homes, campsites and vehicles.
Food, trash and scented items can draw bears searching for an easy meal. CPW advises keeping vehicles clean and removing anything that could attract a bear, including food and other scented products.
“Treat your vehicle the way you would a campsite by removing any attractants,” Sauder told The Gazette. “Whether it’s pet food, a kid’s snack or even flavored bubble gum, get it out of your vehicle.”
CPW also warns against intentionally feeding bears. Bears that become accustomed to food provided by people can lose their natural fear of humans, increasing the risk of conflicts.
A vehicle’s interior was left heavily damaged after a black bear became trapped inside in Colorado Springs. (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)
This year is on pace to produce the highest number of reported bear-human interactions since CPW began digitally tracking them in 2019, according to The Gazette.
CPW did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.