Pets
Bear-Zapping 'Un-Welcome Mat' Keeps Colorado Bears Away
WATCH: A bear in Gunnison gets a short, non-lethal shock when he steps on a rubber mat designed to keep bears wild. Make your own!
GUNNISON, CO – Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to help residents in the mountains and foothills "keep bears wild."
The state agency tweeted a video showing night camera footage of a bear stepping on an electrified "unwelcome mat."
"Zapped!" CPW tweeted. The bear places one foot on the mat and gets a "short, non-lethal, deterring shock," according to CPW building instructions.
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The rubber mats are electrified with a small electric fencing unit and can be used to keep bears away from garbage, chicken coops and bird feeders.
If you decide to make an electric mat yourself (see instructions below), make sure there is a sign for humans. Even if humans or pets do step on it, the short shock "while uncomfortable it is not debilitating, and certainly not lethal," CPW said.
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Find out more about how to become "bear aware" at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife "Living with Bears" online resource center.
Watch the video here:
Zapped! A bear near Gunnison meets an electric "unwelcome mat." These are very effective at keeping bears away from structures, chicken coops, etc. Learn how to build one at:https://t.co/wtZAnxl1Fq @coparkswildlife pic.twitter.com/rjpx3G9ugR
— CPW SW Region (@CPW_SW) October 1, 2018
Instructions to make your own bear unwelcome mat here:
Bear Unwelcome Mats by JeanLotus on Scribd
Image via Colorado Parks and Wildlife
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