Fisherman Attacked by Bear in Colorado; Bear Is Euthanized
A young bear knocked a man down and bit his legs near a popular hiking trail, raising concerns as hungry bears move closer to people.
A fisherman was attacked by a bear in Jefferson County, Colorado, on Friday. The man was walking toward a parking lot near the North Fork trail when a female bear knocked him to the ground and bit his legs. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, also called CPW, says the man was not carrying any fish at the time of the attack. His friends worked for several minutes to scare the bear away, and other people nearby stopped to help him.
The man was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries. CPW officers searched the area right away to find the bear. A dog team from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was brought in to help track it down. Together, the officers and the dog team worked to locate the bear as quickly as possible.
The dog team found the bear on Saturday morning, and officers euthanized it following CPW policy. The young female bear weighed between 50 and 60 pounds and had no cubs. Veterinarians planned to perform a necropsy, which is like an animal autopsy, to learn more about the bear's health and behavior.
CPW warned that this was the sixth reported bear attack in Colorado this year. Bears are entering a phase called hyperphagia, during which they eat as much as they can to get ready for winter. A drought in the region has reduced many of the bears' natural food sources, pushing them into areas where people live and visit. This makes the chance of running into a bear much higher than usual.
As food gets harder to find, bears can become bolder and less afraid of people. CPW urged residents to remove anything that might attract a bear, such as unsecured trash, food scraps, pet food, bird feeders, and grills left outside. Keeping these items secured can help prevent dangerous encounters between bears and people in the area.
CPW also shared tips for staying safe outdoors. People should pay attention to their surroundings and stay together in groups whenever possible. Campers should avoid setting up near thick bushes or spots where bears are likely to search for food, and all food should be stored in bear-resistant containers.
If you see a black bear, move away slowly and quietly — and never run. If a bear comes close, stand your ground, wave your arms, and shout loudly until the bear leaves. Anyone going into bear country should carry bear spray, and if a bear actually attacks, experts say to fight back as hard as you can.
Wildlife officers say the bears may act bolder as food becomes harder to find.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. Where was the fisherman when the bear attacked him?
2. What did officers do after the dog team found the bear?
3. How many bear attacks in Colorado had been reported by the time of this incident?