Colorado
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![[IMAGE]](./griz3.gif) From 1948 to 1952 about 8 grizzlies were killed in Colorado. Two were killed in the San Juan Mountains in 1951. After 1952 no grizzlies were reported killed until the last known grizzly in Colorado was killed in 1979. This was a 16-year old female with placental scars indicating she had borne some cubs during her lifetime; thus there was a male grizzly recently alive, and perhaps some of her offspring (Murray 1992, page 237, 238). She was killed in the headwaters of the Navajo River in the San Juan National Forest near Blue Lake (Brown 1985). Since 1980 there have been reports of grizzly sightings or activity in the San Juan Mountains and there is a good possibility that some are still alive although it is extremely unlikely that they can persist much longer unless humans assist them.
Most grizzlies in Colorado were found in mountainous country or along riparian areas (Armstrong 1972). Early records from the plains were also from riparian areas (Brown 1985) The Rio Grande-San Juan Grizzly Bear Management Area was created in 1954; it was dissolved in 1964. In 1976 the Colorado Division of Wildlife recommended the restoration of grizzlies to the San Juans. Armstrong, D.M. 1972. Distribution of mammals in Colorado, University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History Monograph 3:1-415. Brown, David E. 1985. The Grizzly in The Southwest. University of Oklahoma Press. Norman, Oklahoma. 274 pages.
Murray, John A. 1992. The Great Bear - Contemporary Writings on the Grizzly. Alaska Northwest Books. Seattle Washington. 245 pages. ![[IMAGE]](./gbpix.gif){kind=small}
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