A Centennial residential neighborhood got a Friday morning visit from a common local visitor with four paws and little interest in property lines.
A medium-sized black bear, estimated to weigh a couple hundred pounds, was spotted near a fence in a resident’s backyard in the Willow Creek subdivision, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
The bear was first spotted around 8 a.m. near E. Mineral Drive and S. Ulster Street. Deputies responded to the area around 10:15 a.m. and believe the bear may have been in the area since early Friday morning.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are monitoring the bear and said it will likely move on its own.
The sighting comes weeks after the Sheriff’s Office reported seeing a black bear along the High Line Canal in late July. Bear sightings have also been reported in other parts of the Denver area, including Arvada, where a resident recently spotted a large bear hanging out on a neighbor’s backyard patio with the neighbor’s dog.
Authorities encourage residents to keep children and small pets indoors while the bear is in the neighborhood and to secure their trash.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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