Over 400 "Bear Selfies" Found On Colorado Wildlife Camera
Andrea Powell
A curious bear in Boulder, Colorado, treated wildlife officials to hundreds of headshots on a local wildlife camera.
There are nine motion-detecting cameras placed throughout the 46,000 area of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) to track wildlife. They are placed in areas to capture what the animals do day and night and see what areas they visit most often.
The cameras use infrared lights at night to take still shots and short videos of local black bears, mountain lions, and deer. Usually, the cameras capture a variety of animals over several weeks, but a local bear filled up one camera with selfies.
Boulder OSMP posted, "Recently, a bear discovered a wildlife camera that we use to monitor wildlife across #Boulder open space. Of the 580 photos captured, about 400 were bear selfies."
Recently, a bear discovered a wildlife camera that we use to monitor wildlife across #Boulder open space. Of the 580 photos captured, about 400 were bear selfies.🤣 Read more about we use wildlife cameras to observe sensitive wildlife habitats. https://t.co/1hmLB3MHlU pic.twitter.com/714BELWK6c
— Boulder OSMP (@boulderosmp) January 23, 2023
The cameras are useful for more than selfies..."The information we collect from them is used to recommend habitat-protective measures to help protect sensitive natural areas," shared Will Keeley, senior wildlife ecologist for OSMP.
People couldn't resist poking fun at the situation. Colorado Parks and Wildlife tweeted, "Felt cute, might delete later." Others wondered why the bear wasn't hibernating. One person suggested, "Looking for a mate and heard online dating is the way to go. Likes fish dinners and long naps."
OSMP shared in the comments that the footage is from last year, prior to hibernation.
Colorado is home to thousands of black bears and people who live and visit there are encouraged to learn about bears and how to peacefully co-exist with them. The City of Boulder shares ways to stay safe and what to do if you encounter a bear. Learn more here.
