EAGLE-VAIL, CO — A man was attacked by a female black bear while leaving a laundry room at an apartment complex in Eagle-Vail, Colorado, according to state wildlife officials. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said officers responded Monday after reports of a bear attack in the community about 100 miles west of Denver.
Officials said the bear scratched the man’s arm, and he hurt his foot when he tripped trying to get away. A family member took him to a medical facility, where he was treated and later released. CPW said he is recovering at home.
What Officers Observed
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said officers stayed in the area overnight and placed a bear trap in the neighborhood after the attack. The agency also reported recent sightings of a sow and cubs foraging in neighborhood dumpsters, and said a larger male bear may have been keeping them from remaining nearby.
The department tied the incident to conditions on the ground rather than a single animal encounter. In its statement, CPW said severe drought has reduced natural food sources, which is pushing bears to move more widely in search of food around populated places.
How It Fits The Season
Wildlife officials said Colorado has recorded a high number of bear reports this year. They said the pattern fits both the dry summer and the seasonal shift into hyperphagia, the late-summer period when bears concentrate on eating heavily before winter denning.
CPW said bears can consume up to 20,000 calories a day during that phase, which can bring them into closer contact with people. The agency framed the Eagle-Vail attack as part of that broader seasonal pressure, not as an isolated oddity.
What Residents Can Check
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the best way to prevent conflicts is to avoid feeding or approaching bears and to secure trash, pet food, animal feed and other attractants. It also urged residents to clean and store outdoor grills after use and keep windows and doors locked.
For people in the area, CPW remains the place to verify local updates on the bear response and any changing guidance. The agency has not said whether the bear or bears involved were captured, only that officers were working in the neighborhood after the attack.
Wild places, night skies and what science just found, on Timberwolf Times.
