SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — A man was attacked by a black bear while trail running in Big Cottonwood Canyon Wednesday afternoon.
Unfortunately, wildlife officials say they had to euthanize the animal because it showed aggressive behavior toward a human. It's the second time this week that a bear had to be put down.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said it received the report of a man being bitten around 1:15-1:30 p.m. while trail running in the Mill D North trail area of the canyon.
The runner reportedly heard a bear in the brush, and it then approached him. The man said he backed away and tried to make himself look big.
DWR officials say the female bear "bluff charged" the man twice. Then, as he was backing up, the man tripped over a log and the bear bit him on his upper arm. The runner was then able to escape after kicking at the bear.
After driving himself to the hospital, the man received medical attention for puncture wounds on his arm.
Conservation officers and biologists with the DWR responded to the area and searched for the bear with tracking hounds before finding it around 9:45 p.m.
"Because the bear had shown aggressive behavior and injured a person, it was euthanized, per policy," the division wrote in a news release Wednesday night.
Over the weekend, another bear frequenting campsites in American Fork Canyon also had to be put down.
“We had to euthanize that bear because of its aggressive behavior and it had attacked the humans. So it's never a fun day to do that, but it's the right call,” said Scott Root, conservation outreach manager with DWR.
Utah's cool spring, late freezes and current drought conditions could be contributing to increased bear activity.
“If we have a crop, failure of berries, it doesn't necessarily mean bears starve, but they do range further, they move more. And so there's maybe more of a likelihood, especially in areas like this with a lot of human activity, that bears and humans may come into contact,” explained Darren DeBloois, game mammals coordinator with DWR.
The DWR and Wild Aware provide the following tips on what to do if you come face-to-face with a black bear:
- Stand your ground: Never back up, lie down or play dead with a black bear. Make yourself look bigger by raising your arms and standing tall. Stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Be prepared to use bear spray or another deterrent.
- Don't run away or climb a tree. Black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 mph — you cannot outclimb or outrun them.
- Know bear behavior. If a bear stands up, grunts, moans or makes other sounds, it's not being aggressive. These are the ways a bear gets a better look or smell and expresses its interest.
- If a black bear attacks, always fight back. And never give up! People have successfully defended themselves with almost anything: rocks, sticks, backpacks, water bottles and even their hands and feet.
More tips on avoiding encounters with black bears and staying safe in general in "bear country" can be found on the Wild Aware Utah website.
