A man was injured at a Colorado apartment complex on Aug. 17 when a female black bear attacked, authorities said.
The man, whose identity was not released, was exiting the laundry room of the apartment building in Eagle-Vail, a small mountain community in the Eagle River Valley in Colorado, when he encountered the bear, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a statement on Aug. 18.
The bear swiped at the man, scratching his arm. While trying to escape, he also tripped and injured his foot, the agency said.
The man was taken to a hospital by a family member and treated for his injuries, and is now recovering at home, the agency said.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said its officers have placed a bear trap in the neighborhood. Officials believe the female
bear and her cubs have been staying away due to the presence of a larger male bear in the area. There have been multiple reports of a female bear and cubs rummaging in dumpsters, the agency said.
Bear sightings have been on the rise this summer, which wildlife officials attribute to severe drought conditions that are limiting bears' sources of food, forcing them to forage in populated areas. Bears are also in their phase of hibernation called hyperphagia as late summer turns to fall, when they become more active as they try to consume up to 20,000 calories per day to prepare for hibernation, the agency said.
Wildlife officials recommend people take the following steps as bears are more active:
- Never feed or approach bears. Feeding bears teaches them to lose their natural fear of humans.
- Lock up trash and other food receptacles to eliminate odor that attracts bears. Most conflicts between humans and bears are traced back to human food, garbage, pet food, bird seed or other things that attract bears.
- Don't leave pet food outdoors. Feed pets inside or clean up after them thoroughly if they eat outside.
- Clean outdoor grills, burning off food particles and grease, and store them securely in a garage or shed.
- Keep windows and doors locked.
- If you encounter a black bear, don't approach it. If you see it before it notices you, stand still and quietly move away from it. If it sees you, back away slowly. Do not run, as it may trigger the bear to chase you. If the black bear approaches you, hold your ground, wave your arms and yell, "Hey bear," until it leaves. Do not play dead with a black bear; fight back aggressively if it makes contact.
- However, if a grizzly or brown bear attacks, you should play dead, according to the National Park Service. Fighting back will usually worsen an attack from a grizzly or brown bear, but if the attack persists, then fight back with everything you have.
It's important not to let bears get too comfortable in populated areas, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said. Bears have good memories, and once they find food near homes, vehicles or campgrounds, they will come back for more.
"Bears that get too comfortable around people can destroy property or even become a threat to human safety. Habituated bears often must be killed," the agency said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black bear attacks, injures man at Colorado apartment complex
