Bear activity closed campgrounds, a moose charged a woman and her dog, and three mountain lion kittens were spotted along the Rio Grande trail — all in one day earlier this summer. Perry Will, area wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), said days like this are becoming the new norm.
There has been particularly strong growth in the moose population, and CPW will offer one bull moose hunting tag this year.
“We’re getting good production and recruitment into the moose population and they’re expanding throughout the range as well,” Will said. “This year we decided we definitely have a moose population that can take hunting pressure.”
Will and rangers with CPW are also keeping an eye on the mountain lion kittens on the Rio Grande Trail, who have not moved far in the past week. Will said he fears their condition is declining, and CPW will consider euthanization rather than placing the kittens in captivity if the mother does not return.
“Wild animals in cages is not a good life,” he said.