Is Colorado’s Snow Drought Leading to More Wildlife Encounters Across the State?

Colorado is a state that heavily relies on snowfall, not just for ski season and tourism, but for water resources as well.

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Unfortunately, this winter has been unseasonably warm and has seen low levels of snowfall, which isn’t just affecting the ski industry, but wildlife as well. It is also believed that the lack of water in Colorado’s wilderness might be contributing to an increase in recent wildlife encounters across the state.

Is Colorado’s Snow Drought Contributing to an Increase in Wildlife Encounters?

Recently, it seems that there has been an increase in accounts of dangerous, wild animals making appearances in places where they’re not usually seen.

One member of the Fruita, Colorado, Message Board recently reported seeing a mountain lion in the town, terrifyingly, near Shelledy Elementary School, and the Facebook page called Colorado Wild Photography posted a short video of a bobcat near Estes Park.

Much of the Western United States is experiencing drought, and it has been reported that last December’s average temperatures were comparable to those that are typically recorded in March. The lack of snow is concerning for the ski industry in Colorado, as well as one of the biggest hot topics in the state, water rights.

Last November, ABC News reported that these warmer conditions and lack of precipitation have been linked to an increase in California’s recent encounters with wildlife such as coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions, and many fear that the same thing is taking place in Colorado currently.

Read More: Why Deion Sanders Stayed In His Car In Estes Park

Learn more about the topic of wildlife encounters being linked to the drought here, check out the video of the recent bobcat sighting in Estes Park here, learn more about the mountain lion encounter in Fruita here, and learn more about the current drought that Colorado is experiencing here.