Bear and Cub Euthanized After Vicious Attack on Colorado Woman

On August 31, a bear attacked a lady in New Castle, Colorado, and she was brought to the hospital. The bear and its cub were later killed.

Animal Encounter

The woman was attacked by a bear that emerged from adjacent woods after she walked outdoors at 2 am to find out why her hot tub cover had been lifted, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).

In a press release, CPW stated that "the bear, eventually identified as the sow, swiped at the victim, striking and seriously lacerating her arm." The victim managed to flee the bear and make it inside her house, where she dialed 911.

Following that, CPW instructed the neighborhood police to find and kill the bear. CPW claims that although New Castle PD discovered a mother grizzly and her three kids close to the house, they could not determine if the sow or the children had attacked the victim.

Decision to Euthanize

The decision to put the bears to death was made, according to CPW. Given the placement of the other two cubs in the tree and the near vicinity to a major road and multiple residences, "CPW chose to wait on euthanizing the remaining two cubs," according to the report.

Wild Bears

Black bears are more likely to have been engaged in the attack than grizzlies, which haven't been spotted in Colorado in 50 years. Approximately 17,000-20,000 black bears are present in the state, according to CPW estimates. Although previously restricted to their natural forests, more bears have entered cities and campsites in search of quick meals due to the growth of human settlements.

Bears are far more likely to attack if attracted to the smell of human food or rubbish, especially if they are startled, in danger, or trying to defend offspring. However, deadly attacks are uncommon; Colorado's most recent one occurred in 2009.

Bears that lose their innate fear of humans are believed to have shorter lifespans than bears that avoid towns, mainly because of the dangers of cars hitting them, poaching, and euthanasia in the wake of an attack. While bears entering human areas is dangerous for people, it's also dangerous for the bears.

Protective Mother

The mother and her three cubs had previously been seen in the neighborhood but had not displayed any symptoms of hostility against people, according to CPW.

The two surviving cubs were not directly engaged in the attack, so CPW decided to transfer them to a rehabilitation center. "During the subsequent investigation, CPW concluded the sow was the sole bear involved in the attack," CPW said.

"The dead sow and cub's remains are being submitted to CPW's Wildlife Health Lab for necropsy," reads the agency. "The cubs were tranquilized and securely removed from the tree and transferred to a CPW rehabilitation facility to be examined."

Advising Residents

CPW advises residents to make sure their trash and bird feeders are bear-proof, clean up any fruit that has fallen close to the house, avoid leaving food or even air fresheners in their cars, and lock all exterior doors on their properties to prevent attacks like this and the subsequent death of the defending bear.

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