It's true. Colorado black bears aren't always black.

The fact is, when it comes to bears, black is a species, not a color. While it is most common, perhaps, to see bears that are black in Colorado, they can also be blonde, cinnamon, or brown.

I'm talking about bears today because we are nearing the end of the bear season. No, not bear hunting season, but rather the end of their active season. Black bears are most active from mid-March through early November. That means they are getting ready to hibernate and they are on the prowl for food.

In preparation for the winter ahead, bears will be consuming about 20,000 calories a day so they can gain enough fat to survive the winter. Compare that to the 2,000 or so calories the average human consumes each day.

Speaking of eating, a bear's diet seems to be pretty healthy, except for maybe the scavenged carcasses. Aside from that, it's pretty much grass, berries, fruits, nuts, plants, and insects.

They say a bear's nose is 100 times more sensitive than a human's, meaning they can pick up the scent of a wienie roasting over an open fire from 5 miles away.

Think about the bear videos you have seen. Bears are smart, and once they find food, they'll come back for more, whether it's in a campground, a vehicle, or a home. That's why it's important to take necessary precautions to not do anything to attract bears like accessible garbage cans and dumpsters. A hungry bear is an aggressive bear, and an aggressive bear is most likely going to become a dead bear.

Taking precautions can help keep your family safe - and it can save the life of a Colorado bear.

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