TRINIDAD — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is searching for a bear that bit a man on the arm while he was relaxing in a hammock.
It happened after 10 p.m. Saturday night at a campground in the Purgatories River bottoms, east of i-25 in Trinidad.
The man told CPW that when he was laying in the hammock, he heard a rustling noise, turned his head lamp on, and then saw the bear next to him. The bear bit the man on the upper right arm, and then the bear left.
CPW officers immediately began searching for the bear around the campground, and dogs were also used to search the area. CPW officers also set up a trap, in case the bear returned to the campground.
The man was taken to the hospital for treatment of a 2-3 inch bite, and the man’s injuries appear to be minor.
“Bear attacks are rare and we take them very seriously,” said Mike Brown, CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager for the region. “We are doing everything we can to locate this bear. And we continue to investigate the incident.”
The man told CPW officers he did not have food with him in the hammock, that the bear could’ve been searching for.
Per CPW policy, any bear that attack a human is considered a dangerous bear, and if captured, will be euthanized.
This is the third bear attack in Colorado so far this year.
CPW encourages everyone to be aware of bear activity, and try to avoid bear encounters by making sure there is nothing around to attract bears to your camp.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Stash Your Trash. Use bear-proof containers when available. If they’re full, double bag trash and lock it in your trunk or RV. Never leave trash outside.
- Store Attractants Safely. Store food, beverages and toiletries in air-tight containers and lock them in your trunk. Many bears have discovered that coolers, bags and boxes are full of food; never leave them in your tent or anywhere a bear could see, smell or reach.
- Keep a Clean Camp. Bears are attracted to odors of all kinds and will investigate anything interesting in hopes of finding food.
- Keep a Clean Tent. Don’t bring anything with an odor into your tent – that includes all foods, beverages, chapstick, scented toiletries, gum, toothpaste, sunscreen, candles and insect repellant. Don’t sleep in the clothes you cooked in; store them with your food.
- Lock RVs and Vehicles. Close windows and lock your vehicle and RV when you leave your campsite and at night before you go to sleep.
For more information on camping and hiking in Bear Country, visit the CPW website by clicking here.
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