Colorado Authorities Euthanize Black Bear Loaded with Trash in its Stomach: An Alarming Discovery

• Colorado wildlife officials euthanized a bear with human garbage in its intestines.
• The bear had a “plug” of paper towels, disinfectant wipes, napkins, plastic, and food wrappers in its belly.
• Bears conditioned to eat human food have shorter life expectancies, according to the National Park Service.

Officials had to euthanize a massive black bear in Colorado Saturday after baby wipes and other human garbage got lodged in its small intestine.

CPW Area Wildlife Manager Rachel Sralla stated in a statement that the bear was “very sick,” leaving officials with no choice but to end its suffering.

“When a 400-pound bear is extremely overweight, it would take a long time for it to starve to death,” said Sralla. “That’s a horrific way to die, deteriorating from the inside out for such a long period.”

Sralla emphasized that improper disposal of human trash is a prevalent issue affecting bears in Colorado.

CPW District Wildlife Manager Mark Caddy mentioned that the bear’s intestines were obstructed by a “plug” consisting of paper towels, disinfectant wipes, napkins, fragments of plastic bags, and wax paper food wrappers.

“This plug was accompanied by french fries, green beans, onions, and peanuts,” added Caddy, noting that the bear’s intestines were already in the early stages of decomposition.

The US National Park Service (NPS) explains that providing food to bears has several negative consequences. It can lead to bears becoming conditioned to human food and returning to areas occupied by humans.

Food-conditioned bears are more likely to approach people and can exhibit aggressive, unpredictable, and dangerous behavior, as stated by the NPS.

In August, California wildlife officials captured a massive 500-pound black bear named “Hank the Tank” who had broken into over a dozen homes in search of food.

Bears that primarily consume human food also have shorter life expectancies compared to those that eat natural foods, according to the agency.

The National Park Service suggests storing food in containers that bears cannot open, such as bear canisters. In bear-inhabited areas, when staying in a hotel, it is important to keep all food inside the room and ensure that all doors and windows are locked.