Colorado black bears emerge out of their dens sometime in March as the temperatures start to warm up in the state.

Around this time of year when the temperatures start to cool off and the change of the season begins, Colorado black bears will start to eat as much as possible.

Foraging for food can sometimes bring them into the metro areas as they are looking to fatten up for the winter. A 20,000 calorie per day diet is typical for a black bear to survive the winter months.

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Those 20,000 calories typically come from grasses, berries, fruits, nuts, and plants according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Bears are smart and have very sensitive noses. Believe it or not, bears can smell food up to five miles away. When they find a tasty treat, they'll remember that place and come back for more.

Foraging for all of those fattening calories can be tiring. From searching for the food to eating it to fatten up for the winter. Sometimes a bear just needs a break. One bear was recorded in West Arvada this week relaxing and scratching its belly. See the video that was shared by the Arvada Police Department's Twitter:

When you think about it, 20,000 calories on a daily basis is a lot. According to USA Today, the average American Thanksgiving dinner is approximately 3,000 calories. To eat the equivalent calorie daily intake of a bear, you would need to eat almost seven full Thanksgiving meals a day to keep up with their food and nutrition needs to hibernate in the winter.

Source: Arvada Police Department Twitter

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