Colorado black bear attacks 74-year-old man after breaking into home, leaving 'significant' claw wounds

A 74-year-old Colorado man has suffered "significant" claw wounds after being attacked by a black bear that broke into his home, wildlife officials say. 

The incident happened Thursday night in Lake City "after the bear and her three cubs opened a partially cracked sliding glass door" and entered the property, causing a "loud crash" that startled the residents inside, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). 

"It’s certainly lucky we didn’t have a fatality, because it was close," CPW wildlife officer Lucas Martin said in a statement. 

The agency says the victim of the attack "grabbed a chair from the kitchen and attempted to direct the adult bear out the door," but the female bear ended up charging him and knocking him into a wall. 

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"The bear swiped at the man, who incurred significant wounds from being clawed, including wounds to the head, neck, both arms, lower abdomen, shoulder and calf," CPW said.  

The victim reportedly received treatment for his wounds at the scene and declined to be transported to a local hospital. 

Wildlife officials said the adult female bear and all three cubs then climbed trees outside the home and "after preliminary confirmation of their involvement in the attack, all four bears involved were subsequently euthanized." 

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The animals' remains have since been transported to a health laboratory in Fort Collins to be tested for diseases. 

"Clearly, these bears were highly habituated and were willing to enter an occupied house with the residents sitting just feet away," CPW Area Wildlife Manager Brandon Diamond said. 

The incident is being described as the first reported bear attack in Colorado in 2024, compared to six reports last year. 

"This is a tragic thing that has happened, and it happened because bears continue to have access to human food sources," Martin said. "We’ve talked about this for decades — access to human food sources, including trash and bird feeders, is what leads to escalating and sometimes dangerous behavior from black bears. The result is a lose-lose for bears and people."