An older bear sow that survived a roughly 46-mile walk back to Steamboat Springs in fall 2022 — after being relocated to northern Colorado and having three cubs in spring 2023 — was euthanized last week.

Ear-tagged 1036, the mother was trapped and humanely euthanized because she violated the Colorado Parks & Wildlife policy of making contact with a human, according to David Rehak Suma, CPW district wildlife manager in Steamboat.

Around 9:45 a.m. on May 21, a man notified CPW that he was swiped at from behind by a black bear while walking on the path connecting Walton Creek Road and Mount Werner Circle near Steamboat Resort. The man had noticed a yearling cub in the area, then felt a swipe from behind and was knocked to the ground. The man received scrapes on his arm that required first aid due to the fall.

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Because the older mama bear made contact with a human, Suma said she was classified as “dangerous” by CPW regulations.

“It shows that their natural reaction to that situation is going to be to go after a person,” Suma said. “A bear that has that reaction is one that holds too much potential to seriously hurt somebody.”

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Wildlife officials estimate the older sow was about 17-18 years old based on the fact that her premolar teeth were worn to the gums. Although she had good fat storage and did not show signs of disease, the sow weighed 216 pounds, which is relatively underweight for a bear that had been healthy enough to have triplets last year.

Suma estimates sow 1036 was starting to wither from old age, noting that although black bears can live to about 30, the normal lifespan is about 20 years.

The district manager noted that two of the three yearling bears from the sow were trapped and relocated to southern Routt County, and officers do not plan to trap the third cub. The three young bears are old enough to forage and survive on their own.

“Hopefully this leads to a better life for all three cubs,” Suma said.

Although black bears travel in and out of Steamboat Springs depending on weather and foraging conditions, Suma said he believes up to 12 bears are seen regularly in the city.

“We are on the edge of great bear habitat,” Suma said.

Humans can help the cubs stay alive by securely locking all trash containers and dumpsters, and by always making loud noises when seeing bears so the animals maintain a fear of humans. Suma said people can use vehicle horns, air horns, bear spray or rubber buck shot, where allowed, to keep bears naturally uncomfortable around humans.

Sow 1036 was found Sept. 1, 2022, inside an improperly closed dumpster at the Shadow Run condo complex off of Whistler Road. Although the dumpster was a bear-resistant style with a metal lid, the slider on the lid was not closed by users. The older bear climbed inside seeking a meal, but could not get out on her own. CPW officers tranquilized the bear, wrapped it in a tarp and lifted it out of the dumpster using a winch on a CPW pickup.

The sow was affixed with red ear tags and moved to near the Wyoming border. Since 1036 was habituated to easy human food sources, she was relocated instead of being released in Steamboat. After her translocation, she traveled back home to den and give birth in her home habitat again.

“My guess is she has lived in Steamboat longer than most people, and she is pretty habituated about eating out of trash,” said Christy Bubenheim, educator for Keep Bears Wild-Steamboat. “We have so many good trash cans and dumpsters in town now that are not being used properly.”

When sow 1036 was euthanized last week and her stomach contents inventoried at the CPW Wildlife Health Lab in Fort Collins, officials found human trash items such as a plastic bag and paper in her stomach.

Suma noted that if residents and visitors will secure trash cans and dumpsters, the third yearling bear should be able to do well “if the community will help us with making those bears uncomfortable around people.”

“We do have plenty of bears in town that live their life without causing an issue to people, and hopefully this will go down that path,” Suma said.