DURANGO, Colo. (AP) Human remains were found in two of the three bears euthanized after they were suspected of killing a Colorado woman in an apparent attack, state wildlife officials said Sunday.
The 39-year-old woman was found dead in southwestern Colorado Friday and authorities suspected a rare bear attack because of the mauling of her body along with bear scat and hair found at the scene. A dog team found a 10-year-old female black bear and two yearling cubs nearby and they were killed since they were suspected of attacking her and belief they would likely attack someone else.
The human remains were found inside the sow and one of the cubs during a necropsy Saturday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a statement. The bears all appeared to be healthy, showed no sign of disease and had adequate fat stores following the winter hibernation season, the agency said. A microscopic examination of their body tissue and rabies testing to find other possible reasons that could have led them to attack will take up to two weeks, it said.