"Agencies in at least 15 states have reported increased calls this year, as drought and population growth drive the animals closer to people in search of food."
"They climb through bedroom windows and open car doors. They sneak into restaurants, fire stations and vacation rentals. Across the country, black bears are foraging for food.
Human-bear encounters are on the rise this year in at least 15 states. Across the West, Northeast and Southeast, agencies received more bear-related calls than last year. In Colorado, reports have increased by as much as 200 percent, and in Utah, bears in cities have reached a record high.
Some calls report a sighting. Others involve bears breaking into homes, cars or chicken coops. Very rarely, the calls report attacks."
N. Kirkpatrick and Cole Reynolds report for the Washington Post September 22, 2026.
