DURANGO, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers are investigating two reported black bear attacks in southwest Colorado over the weekend.
According to CPW, the first incident — the state's 11th so far this year — was reported around 6:22 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, after a woman called the South Fork Police Department saying she had been bitten earlier that morning.
The woman told officers she was inside her tent at the Park Creek Campground when the animal approached her tent and pierced through the fabric.
Officials said that there was a puncture wound on her right arm consistent with a black bear bite. She was treated by EMS and then received follow-up treatment at the Rio Grande Hospital.
A district wildlife manager with CPW met the woman at the hospital and collected a swab from her injury.
Officers also responded to the campground and found holes and marks on the tent wall that indicated a bite mark, along with mud and dirt smeared on both sides of the tent wall left by an animal. There were also three claw marks and scratches.
The woman reported that something hit her tent while she was inside. She was then bitten on the arm. Although she could not see what was outside the tent, she described the animal as large and heard a growl.
“The bite in this incident was more likely an act of surprise than aggression,” said Area Wildlife Manager Rick Basagoitia of the Monte Vista office. “There is no history of conflict or damage. This location is isolated and now closed. The potential for threat is never zero, but it is significantly reduced in this situation.”
The Rio Grande National Forest closed the campground for the remainder of the weekend and it closed for the season on Monday. Officials did not capture the offending animal but determined there is no continued threat to the public.
The second incident — the state's 12th attack reported this year — happened in Durango on Sunday at a condo on Escalante Drive near Home Depot.
A 17-year-old woman reported that around 2 a.m. Sunday, a black bear entered her bedroom window that was cracked open. The bear ripped off the screen and opened the window all the way before entering.
The woman woke up and pulled up her blankets and hid when she saw the bear fully enter the room. The bear reportedly walked over to her bedside table and began to sniff the woman's head. The woman said she made a noise and the bear made a huffing sound and swiped at her as she was under the covers.
She then said she screamed and the bear ran to the foot of her bed, then went back out the window. However, the bear came back in, but she stood up, screaming and yelling, and the bear exited the room again.
The woman said she self-treated three scratch marks on her stomach, and CPW officers interviewed the woman, who also had bruising.
“Based on what we know happened in this encounter, the woman is very lucky she had multiple blankets covering her when the bear swiped her,” said District Wildlife Manager Luke Clancy.
CPW did set a trap at the location and on Monday morning, a bear entered another nearby residence. Officers will have a presence in the area on Monday with the intent to catch and remove the bear.
“This is a human health and safety issue that we take seriously,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta of the Durango office. “This bear has exhibited behavior that threatens human health and safety. It has shown that it is not afraid to enter homes multiple times now, and it is likely this behavior will continue. We want residents to make sure they are closing and locking their doors and windows during this high human-bear conflict year in addition to securing all outside attractants.”
A growing list of bear attacks in Colorado this year
These incidents are the latest in an unprecedented number of bear conflicts across Colorado this year, which Denver7 has reported on over the past several weeks. The conflicts are due, in part, to worsening drought conditions that have depleted natural food sources for bears, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
CPW reports that Colorado has reported more than 6,000 bear sightings so far across the state — nearly double last year’s numbers.
As bears begin to enter hyperphagia — an instinctive, metabolic change resulting in an almost constant feeding frenzy as the bears prepare for winter hibernation — bear activity is expected to increase while they search for 20,000 calories per day before denning, a CPW spokesperson said.
Late last month, a bear attack in Jefferson County injured an angler — but that wasn’t the only incident that week. A couple of days earlier, a bear attacked a man leaving a laundry room at an Eagle-Vail apartment complex, followed by a bear attack that injured an unhoused man sleeping in Aspen. An Eagle County Sheriff's Office deputy was forced to kill the bear after the wild animal charged at him at the Eagle-Vail apartment complex.
An incident involving a bear cub that died from injuries in a hazing operation in the Town of Granby occurred on the same day a bear attacked a woman in her 80s after breaking into her home in Estes Park. Another bear in Steamboat Springs scratched a napping resident on Sept. 3.
Those attacks have prompted CPW to launch a new education campaign to raise awareness about this year’s record bear activity and how people can prepare to reduce the number of bear conflicts that could potentially lead to more dangerous encounters.
Watch Denver7 reporter Claire Lavezzorio's report in the video below:
Wildlife officials remind the community that preventing conflicts requires a collective effort. CPW recommends the following BearWise tips to keep bears wild:
- Never feed or approach bears. Intentionally feeding wildlife or letting them find accessible food is illegal. It teaches them to approach homes and lose their natural fear of humans.
- Safely store trash, animal feed and other attractants. Lock up trash receptacles and food scraps to eliminate the powerful odors that attract wildlife to residential properties.
- Never leave pet food outdoors. Feed domestic pets indoors or thoroughly clean up bowls immediately after any outdoor feeding.
- Clean and store outdoor grills. Burn off grease and food particles after every use, and store grills inside a secure garage or shed.
- Secure windows and doors. Keep all bear-accessible windows and doors closed and locked, including garage doors. Bears are excellent climbers, so this includes any top story exterior windows or doors.
- Know what to do if a bear does enter your home. If a bear is in your house, leave immediately if you can safely do so.
- Leave all exit doors open to give the bear a clear escape route, do not block its path, and never try to shoo or corner the animal out of your home. Call 911 immediately and remain outside until wildlife officers have confirmed the bear is out of the home.
- Know what to do if you encounter a black bear:
- If you see a bear before it notices you, don't approach.
- Stop and quietly move away, while giving the bear a clear escape route.
- If a bear sees you, back away slowly. Never run; running may trigger a chase response.
- If a bear approaches, hold your ground, wave your arms and yell, "Hey, bear!" until it leaves.
- If a black bear makes contact with you, do NOT play dead; fight back aggressively.
CPW encourages Coloradans to report bear activity and conflicts by clicking here.
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