CPW reminds residents to lock up trash and food as bear activity picks up

COLORADO (KOAA) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is reminding Coloradans to secure their trash and food supplies as bear activity begins to increase for the fall season.

They say that as fall begins, black bears enter hyperphagia, a phase of increased activity and intense eating to prepare their bodies for winter.

Bears can travel up to 20 hours a day in search of food, and encounters are likely to increase.

CPW says that black bears consume approximately 20,000 calories every single day to build up their fat reserves for the winter, which is equivalent to 20 chicken sandwiches, 10 large orders of French fries, 10 soft drinks, and 10 milkshakes.

Since a bear's journey to finding food for the winter expands outside of their territory, Coloradans may see more bears looking for food in