A bear entered a hotel in Colorado. An animal roaming around the kitchen attacked and injured a security guard, then escaped. Employees of the Natural Resources Management Agency had to make the difficult decision to euthanize the aggressive animal.
On the night from Monday to Tuesday, the security guard received a call about a black bear (Ursus americanus) circulating around the St. Hotel Regis Aspen Resort in Aspen, Colorado. In search of the animal, the man entered the kitchen – as can be seen in the security camera recording provided by the facility, an animal had entered the same room just a few seconds earlier. The predator suddenly appeared from around the corner and attacked, standing on two legs. The animal’s claws tore the security guard’s shirt and left him with wounds on his back.
The man was taken to hospital
The man lost his balance, but managed to escape and call the emergency services. The security guard was taken to hospital, where he remained until the morning. Representatives from Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the agency that manages the state’s natural resources, also arrived at the scene. The guards started searching for the animal – it turned out that it had not escaped far, but for safety reasons it was impossible to secure it immediately.
The adult male was captured on Tuesday evening and identified by a distinctive white spot on its chest. The guards decided to euthanize the animal – it was aggressive and was looking for food inside human habitations. As they said, this year the region was abundant in food for bears, which is why animals usually do not break into hotels in search of a meal.
CBS News, Colorado Parks & Wildlife
Main photo source: ENEX/Colorado Parks and Wildlife