A bear demolished the inside of a Colorado driver’s car while looking for food, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said. Photos show the car doors badly damaged.
CPW SE Region/@CPW_SE
A bear isn’t the kind of passenger you want in the car, but a Colorado driver is finding out the hard way.
A curious and hungry bear broke into a car near Colorado Springs on Thursday and demolished the inside of the car, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said on Twitter.
“This is a potentially dangerous situation for the driver and the bear,” CPW’s Southeast Region said on Twitter. “And even if the bear leaves without conflict, wait until you see the interior.”
Troopers from Colorado State Patrol were able to open the door and allow the bear to escape, but the damage was already done, CPW said.
Photos show the bear tore apart the inside of the car trying to get out. The car doors were annihilated as the bear ripped through the vehicle.
“What happens when a bear enters your car because something inside smells tasty and manages to get trapped inside? This happens,” CPW said. “A trapped bear, desperate to escape, is a potentially dangerous situation.”
Officials did not say if the driver left food behind, but they said keeping car doors and windows locked and throwing away fast food, drinks, groceries — and even perfumed products like wipes — can help deter a bear’s interest.
Bears’ noses are 100 times more sensitive than humans, and they can smell food up to five miles away, CPW said on its website. They are also very smart animals and will come back to a location where they’ve found food.
