Colorado wildlife officials are urging residents to lock their vehicles and remove food and other attractants after a black bear died inside an unlocked car in Colorado Springs.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the bear, which weighed about 300 pounds, entered an unlocked vehicle while searching for food, became trapped inside and likely spent several days in the summer heat before it was discovered Monday. As it tried to escape, the bear heavily damaged the vehicle’s interior.

Officials said bears can easily open unlocked car doors, but if the door closes behind them, they often cannot figure out how to get back out, according to the Denver Gazette. The agency shared photos of the destroyed vehicle as a reminder for residents to keep doors locked and windows closed.

The incident comes as Colorado experiences a sharp increase in bear activity fueled by poor natural food conditions, prompting officials to urge people to take extra precautions during the busy late-summer season.

Why are bear encounters increasing?

Colorado Parks and Wildlife told local outlet 9News drought, low mountain snowpack and late freezes have reduced berries, nuts and other natural food sources, forcing bears to travel farther and venture into neighborhoods in search of calories.

The agency received 6,129 reports of bear sightings and conflicts between Jan. 1 and Aug. 13, nearly double the 3,115 reported during the same period last year, according to Fox News. The total has already surpassed the 5,299 reports recorded during all of 2025 and is on pace to be the highest since the agency began digitally tracking bear-human interactions in 2019.

Wildlife officials said the timing is especially concerning because bears are entering hyperphagia, the period before winter when they eat almost constantly to build fat reserves, Fox News reported.

Bears can become trapped inside vehicles

Wildlife officer Travis Sauder told the Denver Gazette bears commonly open unlocked vehicle doors while searching for food.

“Typically what happens is they pull the door open, get in, get their food and then they leave,” Sauder said. “But sometimes the door closes behind them, and they have trouble figuring out how to get out.”

A similar incident happened July 29 in nearby Manitou Springs, where a black bear became trapped inside an unlocked vehicle for several hours before firefighters freed it. The bear later escaped into Pike National Forest, according to the Denver Gazette.

How to avoid attracting bears

Colorado Parks and Wildlife urges residents to lock vehicle doors, keep windows closed and remove food, trash, pet food and scented items from vehicles. Officials also recommend securing garbage, cleaning grills, bringing pet food indoors and taking down bird feeders during periods of increased bear activity.

People who encounter a black bear should never run or intentionally feed the animal. Instead, officials recommend backing away slowly, giving the bear an escape route and, if it approaches, standing your ground, waving your arms and yelling.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT