Living with Wildlife: Helpful Tips

Black bear refers to a species name, not a color, as they come in several colors---blonde, brown, cinnamon, or black.  A white chest blaze is not uncommon for Colorado black  bears.  They are one of the smallest bears in North America and the most widely distributed.  They are about 3 feet high when on all fours and 5 feet high when standing up on their hind legs. 

Black bears are the only type of bear in Colorado.  Most black bears in Colorado live in areas where there are Gambel oak, aspen, chokecherry and serviceberry bushes.

Black bears are omnivorous, meaning they eat both meat and plants.  Most of their diet consists of grasses, fruits, berries, nuts, acorns, and insects.  They also eat rodents, rabbits, and deer.  They can smell food up to five miles away.

Black bears are naturally wary of people.  Although they are not nocturnal, they often are active at night in order to avoid contact with humans. 

In Colorado, most bears are active from mid-March through Thanksgiving.  Bears can live 20 - 30 years in the wild.  

Mule deer are named for their large ears which resemble mules' ears. They are social animals that typically stay in groups.  Does live in multi-generational family groups of related females and their offspring. Bucks older than one year old often group together with other bucks or remain solitary.  In late summer and fall, mixed family groups form larger groups for protection through the winter, breaking into smaller groups again by summer.

Mule deer are ruminants with a four-chambered stomach similar to cattle and elk, and they digest food by regurgitating partially digested plants, re-chewing and resting to allow for bacterial breakdown of plant material.  Some of their favorite foods include mountain mahogany and Gambel oak.

It is normal for does to leave their fawns alone in a safe place while they are off feeding.  Sometimes, when people see a fawn alone they become concerned that the fawn has been abandoned.  However, it is best to leave the fawn alone because the mother will return for it when she is finished browsing.

Although they can run in the traditional way, mule deer also have a unique way of running called "stotting", which is hopping and landing on all four hooves at the same time. 

Mule deer have a typical lifespan of 9 - 11 years.  They are a primary prey of mountain lions. Other predators include coyotes, bears, and bobcats.  

The bobcat is a medium-sized wildcat within the Lynx genus. It is named for its "stubby" or bobbed tail, which is about six inches long. They are about twice the size of domestic cats and stand 18 - 24 inches high at the shoulders.

Despite being small, bobcats are fierce hunters. They primarily prey on rabbits, but they also eat rodents, birds, and occasionally domestic cats and small dogs. When smaller prey is scarce, bobcats are known to hunt deer. 

Unlike domestic cats, bobcats enjoy the water and are very good swimmers. They are also excellent climbers and can run at speeds up to 30 mph. 

Predators of the bobcat include coyotes, mountain lions, and humans. Although bobcats have long been hunted for their pelts and for sport, their numbers have remained high.

The ability to adapt to many different habitats is what has made the bobcat such a successful species. Their average life span in the wild is 10 -15 years.

The primary natural habitat of wild turkeys is woodland, forests, meadows, and grasslands. Their favorite food is acorns, so they prefer to live in areas with some type of oak vegetation.  

Turkeys spend most of their days on the ground, but at night they roost in trees which helps to protect them from predators. They primarily get around by walking and running. They can run at speeds of up to twenty-five mph.  Although they do not fly very often, they can and do fly short distances of up to a quarter mile, and they can reach the lower branches of trees, then move upward limb by limb to a higher spot to roost at night. 

Being omnivores, wild turkeys feed on a variety of plants, insects, and invertebrates. They are hunted by coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, great horned owls, and people. The lifespan of turkeys in the wild is three to five years.