ALAMOSA — A bear previously relocated from Alamosa has made its way back to where it found plentiful food sources, and the Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) officers are determining what to do with her.

CPW Public Information Officer Joe Lewandowski said on Thursday that a female bear recently photographed in residential areas of Alamosa had been captured and tagged in 2013 in Alamosa and moved to an area near Trujillo Meadows Reservoir. He did not know why she returned to Alamosa but said CPW officers would locate the bear and then decide what course of action to take.

The Alamosa Police Department issued a statement on Thursday regarding the bear seen in the area of the river dike up to Fourth Street and between Alamosa Avenue and La Veta Avenue. Citizens are encouraged to report sightings through the Colorado State Patrol Communications Center at 719-589-5807 so the police department can work with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers in the area.

The police department shared the following suggestions on how to keep families and properties safe during the time the bear is within the community:

Around the house
• Keep garbage in a well-secured location.
• Only put out garbage on the morning of pick up.
• Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them odor free. The scent of ammonia can deter bears.
• Bears have an excellent sense of smell so try to prevent odors. If you don’t have secure storage, put items that might become smelly into the freezer until trash day.
• Keep garage doors closed.
• Lock your doors when you’re away from home and night.
• Keep the bottom floor windows of your house closed when you’re not home.
• Clean up thoroughly after picnics in the yard or on decks. Don’t allow food odors to linger.
• Talk to your neighbors and children about being bear aware.

Minimize items that attract bears or other wildlife
• Don’t attract other wildlife by feeding them.
• Don’t leave pet food or stock feed outside.
• Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Don’t put out bird feeders from April 15 to November 18.
• If you must have bird feeders, clean up beneath them every day, bring them in at night, and hang them high so that they’re completely inaccessible to bears.
• Bears have good memories and will return to places they’ve found food.
• Allow grills to burn for a couple of minutes after cooking to burn off grease and to eliminate odors. Clean the grill after each use.
• If you have fruit trees, pick fruit before it gets too ripe. Don’t allow fruit to rot on the ground.
• Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food and they’ll eat almost anything.
Feeding wildlife is harmful and can bring costly fine.

Additional information can be obtained from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife web site at cpw.state.co.us