A black bear estimated to weigh 150 pounds attacked a woman outside her West Virginia home early May 31.
The woman let her two dogs outside at 1 a.m. at her house in Tennerton; she didn’t see the bear on the back deck until it was too late, Capt. Doug Benson of the West Virginia Natural Resources Police told WCHS.
The woman, 66-year-old Opal Gillespie, suffered multiple lacerations, while the bear killed one of the dogs as it tried to leave the yard.
Gillespie was expected to survive and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources said later Friday that it was searching for the bear, reported WBOY. When the bear is captured, it will be put down.
Footage from a trail camera the family of the victim maintains was given to officers and assistance from Charleston was on the way to help track the bear down.
https://t.co/6RxhJNResw. DNR police say a 66-year-old woman was transported to the hospital after she was mauled by a black bear in her yard in Upshur County. One of her dogs was killedhttps://t.co/O26xnzw6pa
— Eyewitness News (@wchs8fox11) May 31, 2019
Dealing With Bears
According to West Virginia University (pdf), the black bear population in the state was once decimated but has “made an amazing recovery.”
The recovery and increasing development, though, has led to some conflicts.
“Often, these troublesome interactions occur when bears are drawn to human food resources,” the university stated.
People are encouraged to try to minimize potential sources of food or attractive odors, such as storing garbage in a building, and not leaving bird feeders up overnight.
If people encounter black bears, they’re advised to slowly back away from the animal. They should not run or climb trees.
If attacked, fight back.
‘Aggressive’ bear slips Aspen area traps https://t.co/NNUd0MsH9P
— Summit Daily News (@SummitDailyNews) May 29, 2019
Officers Put Down Bear That Attacked Hiker
Wildlife officers in Colorado put down a bear that was suspected of attacking a hiker.
A hiker was bitten by a bear on the Hunter Creek Trail in Aspen on May 27, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a press release.
“The woman reported that she and her husband were walking back to Aspen when they saw a bear walking toward them on the trail. The woman says they tried to give the bear space and stepped off the trail. As the bear walked by, she says it suddenly turned, charged, and bit her before it ran off and disappeared from view,” it stated.
Experts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services were called in to help track the bear, which was described as weighing between 200 and 30 pounds.
“This is an aggressive bear and by policy, we will put it down if found,” said CPW Officer Matt Yamashita. “But until we find it, the public should remember what to do if they see any bear. If it appears aggressive or shows no fear of humans, do not approach it. Haze it away by yelling or banging pots and pans, then call CPW or 911 immediately.”
Wildlife Officers Put Down Bear Suspected Of Attacking Hiker https://t.co/n1rkNjhO7S pic.twitter.com/o8s0eVd8dU
— CBSDenver (@CBSDenver) May 31, 2019
Officials located the bear on May 30 and shot it, reported the Aspen Daily News. The bear was found at the intersection of Highway 82 and McSkimming Road.
Mike Porras, spokesman with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said that the bear appeared to be the same one that bit the woman.
“We had the eyewitness account, a very good description of the bear, and this bear certainly matched that description,” Porras said.
Another bear was caught on Wednesday but did not match evidence in the case, so it was tagged and relocated.
“We weren’t just indiscriminately going in,” said Yamashita. “We were trying to be diligent about investigating things.”
