What happens when a bear gets into the pond?
Has a bear visited your pond? During the hot summer, bears love a cool dip and may come looking for food. While it may be thrilling to spot one, bears can wreak havoc on a koi pond.
A bear can shred fall pond nets, trample aquatic plants, break pond lights, and even feast on your fish! With their powerful claws, they can easily puncture a pond liner, and large rocks that you thought were immovable? A bear can push those out of place without much effort. If your pond is lined with rocks, that could help protect the liner—but only to an extent.
Keeping bears away is better for you and for them
While it’s not easy to bear-proof your pond, especially if you live in mountain areas, doing so benefits both you and the bear. American Black Bears are the common visitors in areas like Boulder, Colorado. Despite the name, they can have fur that ranges from black to brown, cinnamon, or even blonde. Keeping bears out of your pond helps maintain your landscape and prevents bears from becoming too accustomed to human spaces—something that can ultimately put them at risk.
Bears in the Boulder, Colorado area are American Black Bears. They may have black fur, but it’s not unusual for them to have brown, cinnamon-colored or even blond fur!
How to deter a bear?
There is very little on what to do about bears on the internet! They give all these tips about not putting out bird feeders, trash etc., but nothing about keeping them out of the pond. I think that’s because no one knows a sure fire technique.
These poor koi are not even scared! They don’t know some of them are about to become lunch! This was from a video of a bear in a small koi pond in Boulder in 2022.
What can you do to keep bears away from your pond?
Unfortunately, there’s little online advice about how to keep bears out of ponds. While tips abound for keeping them away from your yard by removing bird feeders or having a bear proof trash can, ponds are a bit more tricky.
Here’s what we do know: bears are generally shy and nocturnal but can appear at any time of day. To keep them away from your pond, consider these strategies:
- Motion-activated loud noises
- Motion-activated bright lights
- Wolf urine
- Motion-activated sprinklers
Motion-activated deterrents are the most effective. Bears may tolerate some water, but if the sprinkler’s location changes frequently, they’ll stay wary. Likewise, alternating sounds and lights regularly will prevent them from adapting. Bears are smart, so unpredictability is key.
Here are some deterrents we found:
DURANOM Ultrasonic Outdoor Animal Repellent
Fox Lights Night Predator Deterrent Control Light
Motion Activated Pest Deterrent Sprinkler
Consistency is essential—creating an uncomfortable environment for bears is the most successful way to keep them from visiting your pond.
Signs of Bear Activity: Spotting Scat
If a bear has visited your pond, there may be signs aplenty that they were there. You might also notice bear scat nearby. Typically black or brown and in piles, it measures 5 to 12 inches long and 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter.
Your Safety and the Bears
If you encounter a bear, remember to keep your distance. According to Bears & People, it’s important to make noise—yell, whistle, or bang pots and pans. The goal is to make the bear uncomfortable around humans, which helps keep them out of trouble. Never approach a bear. Deterring them from your yard is not only better for your property, but it’s safer for the bears in the long run.
Did you know there aren’t Grizzly Bears in Colorado? Nope, not since 1979.
For assistance with bear issues, contact Colorado Parks & Wildlife (Northeast Region): 303-291-7227.
For more tips on wildlife around the pond, check out our guide on How to Keep Raccoons Out of the Pond.
* This blog was NOT written by AI. This was written by me. But, I did use it to refine some wording on this one. I am not a professional writer, I am a pond person so I thought I would try it out. I bet no one notices…except maybe Frank. If he does, I am sure he will let me know! : )
*No koi were harmed in the making of this content.