Hungry bear breaks into at least eight cars looking for food, Colorado officials say

A hungry bear tore through several cars in one night in a Colorado town, wildlife officials said.

The bear got into eight cars parked in Estes Park while looking for food, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Saturday on Twitter. All of the cars were unlocked.

“While not all of the vehicles had food or attractants, some bears go from car to car just to see if they’re unlocked, then hope to find food,” wildlife officials said.

Bears’ noses are “100 times more sensitive” than humans, and they can smell food up to five miles away, Parks and Wildlife said on its website. They can also seek out trash that smells like food or scented products, such as air fresheners, wipes or perfume.

Bears are very smart animals and will come back to a location where they’ve found food.

Parks and Wildlife said people in bear country should always lock their windows and doors, both at home and in their cars.

“This is for your safety and for the lives of these amazing and resourceful creatures,” wildlife officials said.

Photos show minimal damage to the interiors of the cars this time, but that’s not always the case.

In June, a bear broke into a car in Larkspur and got stuck there for at least an hour. It fully trashed the car’s interior, photos showed.

“If you are in bear country, you need to lock your car doors & keep it clean of all attractants,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northeast Region said. “Bears break into cars often.”

Officials said there was a case of beer in the backseat of the car when the bear broke in.

Similarly, a bear got into a car in October near Colorado Springs and demolished the inside. Photos show the bear tore apart the inside of the car trying to get out. The car doors were annihilated as the bear ripped through the vehicle.

Officials did not say at the time if the driver left food behind, but they said keeping car doors and windows locked and throwing away fast food, drinks, groceries — and even perfumed products like wipes — can help deter a bear’s interest.

“What happens when a bear enters your car because something inside smells tasty and manages to get trapped inside? This happens,” Parks and Wildlife said. “A trapped bear, desperate to escape, is a potentially dangerous situation.”

This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 10:58 AM with the headline "Hungry bear breaks into at least eight cars looking for food, Colorado officials say."