A Colorado man is recovering after an unexpected encounter with a black bear outside the laundry room of his apartment complex.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says officers responded Monday to Eagle-Vail, about 100 miles west of Denver, after a man was attacked by a female black bear.
According to wildlife officials, the man was leaving the complex’s laundry room when he encountered the bear. The animal scratched his arm, and as he attempted to get away, he tripped and injured his foot.
A family member took the man to a medical facility, where he was treated for injuries to his arm and foot. He was later released and is recovering at home.
CPW says there have been several recent reports of a mother bear and her cubs searching for food in neighborhood dumpsters.
Wildlife officers remained in the area overnight hoping to capture the sow and her cubs, but officials believe the presence of a larger male bear nearby may have kept them away. A bear trap has since been placed in the neighborhood.
The incident comes during a year of increased bear activity across Colorado. Severe drought has reduced natural food sources, forcing bears to travel farther and venture into populated areas looking for something to eat.
That search for food becomes even more intense as summer turns to fall. Bears enter a period known as hyperphagia, when they can consume up to 20,000 calories per day as they prepare for winter hibernation.
CPW is reminding Coloradans to secure trash and other potential food sources, keep pet food indoors, clean outdoor grills and never feed or approach bears.
With hungry bears increasingly wandering into Colorado neighborhoods, wildlife officials say removing easy food sources can help prevent encounters like this one.
