Black bear attacks woman walking her dog in Washington backyard
The woman escaped into her home with serious injuries after a black bear knocked her down as she walked her dog.
There has been a reported record of 10 bear attacks in Colorado alone this year. AccuWeather’s Anna Azallion shares methods on how you can keep bears away whether you’re out camping or at home.
Wildlife officers are searching for a black bear that attacked a woman from behind in her Washington backyard.
The woman was walking her leashed dog near Index in Snohomish County on Sunday morning, Oct. 25, when the bear knocked her down and began biting and clawing at her, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) said.
The woman managed to escape the bear, ran into her home and called authorities. Medics took her to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
A search with dogs failed to locate the bear. Officers set a trap near the attack site and announced increased patrols, according to the agency.
The woman did nothing to provoke the attack, and investigators were checking for potential bear attractants nearby, KOMO News reported.
“I've been doing this 22 years, and I can count on one hand the number of attacks I've seen like this,” Lt. Erik Olson with WDFW police told KOMO.
File of a black bear sow and cub. (Photo by Jessica Matthews/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The woman reported seeing one bear, while responding crews spotted what may have been its cub, Olson told the station. Bears have also been approaching nearby homes in recent weeks.
"The bears were maybe 3 feet from our patio porch," a resident identified as Bonnie told FOX 13 Seattle, recalling that before the porch encounter, another bear broke into a locked shed to reach her family's garbage cans, breaking the doors and dragging trash roughly 20 feet across the lawn.
"They are just all over," Bonnie said. "Don’t put garbage outside. If you think it’s locked, you know, be cautious. They might be able to break it. They are pretty hungry this year."
Bears in search of food ahead of winter hibernation
The latest attack comes as Washington’s bears stock up on calories before heading into their winter dens. "We have had numerous reports of bears from Sultan to Skykomish. We recommend carrying bear spray when outside, especially in remote areas. Bears can move extremely fast," the Sultan Police Deptartment noted after the attack.
A black bear grazes in Yellowstone National Park. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
Calls about conflicts between people and black bears often increase during autumn, when unsecured human food sources become especially tempting, WDFW notes. Bears are naturally wary of people, but access to food can erode that fear, the agency said. Summer drought or wildfire can also disrupt feeding patterns or reduce natural food supplies, making food around homes more appealing.
Some western states, including Colorado, Montana and Wyoming have reported an increase in bear-human encounters this year due to drought causing food scarcity for bears.
Garbage, pet and livestock feed, bird feeders, orchards and barbecue grills can draw bears onto residential properties. Securing those attractants helps reduce the risk of encounters, WDFW said. Residents who spot the bears should stay indoors and avoid approaching or disturbing them.
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