Colorado bear takes 400 selfies with wildlife camera in one night

A black bear has amused experts with 400 selfies, using a motion-detection camera.

 Bear 480, Otis, after several months of packing on the pounds. (photo credit: Courtesy L. Law via Katmai National Park and Preserve)
Bear 480, Otis, after several months of packing on the pounds.
(photo credit: Courtesy L. Law via Katmai National Park and Preserve)

A bear in Colorado has amused wildlife experts with 580 captured photos, 400 of them being selfie-style pictures. 

The photos, taken on a wildlife camera, are used to monitor Boulder open spaces and parks.

Bolder Open Space and Parks (OSMP) has 9 cameras across 46,000 acres. The cameras are triggered by motion detection and aid the collection of data which is used for habitat protection.

“Sometimes we put cameras in locations where we think we’ll encounter enigmatic fauna like American beavers or black bears,” said Christian Nunes, a wildlife ecologist with OSMP. “We are fortunate to live in an area with a rich diversity of wildlife species, and these cameras help us to learn what animals are really out there, and what they are up to over the course of a day, a week, or even years.”

Bears in Colorado 

Colorado is home to an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 American black bears. This species can be found in forty states.

 Bear 32, Chunk, at his chunkiest.  (credit: Courtesy L. Law via Katmai National Park and Preserve)
Bear 32, Chunk, at his chunkiest. (credit: Courtesy L. Law via Katmai National Park and Preserve)

Black bears are thought to be the largest mammals living in Colorado, with male black bears weighing up to 600 pounds and females up to 200 pounds.

According to Colorado Encyclopaedia, black bears do not have a particularly aggressive nature. However, in 2019 there were three bear attacks near Aspen. The last fatal attack was in 2009.

Bear hunting, with a license, is permitted in colorado depending on the season.

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