Wildlife officials find human remains in bears’ stomachs

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Wildlife officials find human remains in bears’ stomachs

39-year-old woman was walking her dogs when apparently attacked
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers and La Plata County Sheriff’s deputies investigate the scene of what CPW believes was a fatal bear attack north of Durango. A pathologist found human remains inside the stomachs of a suspected sow and her yearling that wildlife officers suspect of killing and eating a 39-year-old woman Friday night. Story, Page 9A.

Wildlife officials find human remains in bears’ stomachs

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers and La Plata County Sheriff’s deputies investigate the scene of what CPW believes was a fatal bear attack north of Durango. A pathologist found human remains inside the stomachs of a suspected sow and her yearling that wildlife officers suspect of killing and eating a 39-year-old woman Friday night. Story, Page 9A.
Fatal bear attacks in Colorado

July 25, 1971: A honeymooning couple was attacked while tent camping near Grand Lake in Grand County. A large older bear entered the tent, injured the woman and pulled the 31-year-old man away from the campsite. The man was killed. The bear was later found and destroyed. Further examination of the black bear found that it had worn, abscessed teeth and a plastic bucket in its stomach.


Aug. 10, 1993: A 24-year-old Buena Vista man was attacked and killed after a male bear broke into a camper 20 miles north of Cotopaxi in Fremont County, presumably in a search for food. The camper tried to stop the attack by shooting at the bear, but it only injured the animal. The bear was injured by a bullet that grazed its rib cage, possibly increasing the intensity of the attack. A 250-pound, very aggressive male black bear with a fresh bullet wound to the rib cage was trapped and destroyed six days later. A necropsy on the bear revealed human remains in its digestive system.


Aug. 7, 2009: A 74-year-old woman was killed and partially eaten by a bear or bears at her home near Ouray, in Ouray County. As sheriff’s deputies were investigating the scene, they were approached by a 250-pound, 5-year-old male black bear that exhibited aggressive behavior. Deputies shot and killed the bear after it approached them and showed no fear of people. Results of the necropsy on that bear were inconclusive as to whether it was involved in the original incident. Early the next morning, federal wildlife officers killed a 394-pound, mature male black bear that approached the home and exhibited aggressive behavior. A necropsy on the large older boar revealed human remains and remnants of clothing in its digestive system. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife investigation determined the victim illegally fed bears through a fence in her yard.

Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife

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