Yesterday we reported that a popular park near Denver, Colorado, was closed due to aggressive bear activity. Now we know exactly what that bear activity looked like, with one woman being attacked by an unusually aggressive black bear.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), a woman hiking on a trail in Jefferson County’s Apex Park encountered a bear displaying clear habituating behavior, approaching humans and following hikers. She reported the incident around 5:20pm on Sunday, June 21st, stating that the bear had grabbed her backpack and made contact with her leg.
The animal continued to follow her down the trail for more than 30 minutes, despite her attempting to haze the bear with sticks, rocks, and loud noises. Two other hikers eventually joined her in trying to scare the black bear away, with it eventually leaving and crossing a gully. The animal then started to follow a separate pair of hikers on a nearby trail.
CPW officers responded to the area Sunday night but could not locate the bear. The search for the bear is ongoing, and Apex Park is now closed. On Monday morning, a bear was spotted in a nearby residential area, sparking officers to investigate whether this is the same animal involved in Sunday’s incident.
Bear reports to Colorado Parks and Wildlife are high this year, with generally warm and dry winter weather impacting natural forage opportunities for wildlife. Any bear sighting should be reported to the Denver CPW Office at 303-291-7227 or by calling Colorado State Patrol dispatch at *277.Â
It seems pretty evident that the people involved in this incident did everything right, but the bear still wouldn’t back down. It’s a clear lesson on the importance of preventing habituated animals in the wild. Read more on keeping bears wild below.
6 BearWise® Basics:
- Stay Alert & Stay Together – Pay attention to your surroundings and stay together. Walk, hike, jog, or cycle with others when possible. Keep kids within sight and close by. Leave earbuds at home and make noise periodically so bears can avoid you.
- Leave No Trash or Food Scraps – Double bag your food when hiking and pack out all food and trash. Don’t burn food scraps or trash in your fire ring or grill. Leaving scraps, wrappers, or even “harmless” items like apple cores teaches bears to associate trails and campsites with food.
- Keep Dogs Leashed – Letting dogs chase or bark at bears is asking for trouble; don’t force a bear to defend itself. Keep your dogs leashed at all times or leave them at home.Â
- Camp Safely – Set up camp away from dense cover and natural food sources. Cook as far from your tent as possible. Do not store food, trash, clothes worn when cooking, or toiletries in your tent. Store in approved bear-resistant containers OR out of sight in locked vehicle OR suspended at least 10 feet above the ground and 10 feet from any part of the tree. Local regulations vary.
- Know What To Do If You See a Black Bear – If you see a bear before it notices you, don’t approach. Stand still, enjoy, then quietly move away. 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. Stay with your group. If it keeps approaching, use bear spray. If a black bear makes contact with you, do NOT play dead; fight back aggressively.
- Carry Bear Spray & Know How To Use It – Bear spray is proven to be the easiest and most effective way to deter a bear that threatens you. It doesn’t work like bug repellent, so never spray your tent, campsite or belongings.
For more information on bears in Colorado, visit cpw.state.co.us/living-bears.Â
