LAKE CITY, Colo. — A black bear with three cubs attacked a man in his Colorado home after they crashed in through a sliding glass door and he was unable to get them to leave.
State wildlife managers killed all four bears after the attack Thursday night in Lake City, a southwestern Colorado town of 400 people. The man’s injuries were significant, but he didn’t need to go to a hospital, Colorado Parks & Wildlife said in a statement Saturday.
“It’s certainly lucky we didn’t have a fatality because it was close,” Colorado wildlife officer Lucas Martin said in the statement.
The 74-year-old man tried to shoo the adult female bear out with a kitchen chair, but it knocked him into a wall and clawed at him, the wildlife agency said.
The bear injured the man’s head, neck, arms, shoulder, abdomen and calf before he and his wife escaped to a bedroom.
A sheriff’s deputy chased the bears out, and medical responders treated the man at his house. His identity wasn’t released.
Wildlife managers suspect the bears were accustomed to people because of recent reports of bears in the area raiding homes in search of food.
They found the four bears near the couple’s house and killed them, standard practice to stop problem bears that associate people with food.
“It creates a very complex situation to mitigate,” Martin said. “Unfortunately cub bears that are taught these behaviors by their mother may result in generations of conflict between bears and people.”
It was Colorado’s first reported bear attack this year. There were six in 2023.
A terrifying incident unfolded in Colorado recently when a man was attacked by a bear with three cubs after breaking into a home. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of wildlife encounters and the importance of respecting their natural habitats.
The man, whose identity has not been released, reportedly broke into a home in a rural area of Colorado, likely in search of food or shelter. However, he quickly found himself face to face with a mother bear and her three cubs. In a panic, the man attempted to flee the scene, but the mother bear, acting out of instinct to protect her cubs, attacked him.
The attack left the man with serious injuries, including deep lacerations and puncture wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and is currently in stable condition. The mother bear and her cubs were later located and tranquilized by wildlife officials before being relocated to a more remote area.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of respecting wildlife and their habitats. Bears, in particular, are known to be fiercely protective of their young and will not hesitate to defend them if they feel threatened. Breaking into homes or encroaching on their territory can lead to dangerous encounters that can have serious consequences.
In Colorado, encounters between humans and bears are not uncommon, especially as urban areas continue to expand into bear habitats. To prevent such incidents, it is important for residents to take precautions such as securing trash cans, removing bird feeders, and avoiding leaving food out in the open. Additionally, if you do encounter a bear, it is important to remain calm, back away slowly, and avoid making sudden movements.
Wildlife officials also stress the importance of reporting any bear sightings or encounters to local authorities. By working together to coexist peacefully with wildlife, we can help prevent dangerous situations like the one that occurred in Colorado.
In conclusion, the recent attack on a man by a bear with three cubs serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of respecting wildlife and their habitats. By taking precautions and being mindful of our impact on the natural world, we can help prevent dangerous encounters and ensure the safety of both humans and animals.
