A black bear attacked a 74-year-old woman from Hartford, Connecticut, who was walking her dog. According to local authorities, the woman was taken to the hospital with bites on her arms and legs.
The incident happened Friday morning in Hartford, Connecticut. The 74-year-old was walking her dog when she was suddenly attacked by a female black bear weighing over one hundred kilograms (Ursus americanus). The woman was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, local authorities said. She had bitten hands and feet.
The authorities decided to catch and euthanize a 12-year-old female bear weighing 113 kilograms. The vets are to test her for rabies.
Black bear – illustrative photo Shutterstock
First bear attack in Connecticut in 2023
It was the first bear attack in Connecticut in 2023. Two such incidents were recorded last year, including one in October when a 10-year-old boy was injured.
Jenny Dickson, director of wildlife affairs at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said the bear was seen in the area with three cubs, but it was not known why she attacked the woman.
“It could just be the bear’s reaction to the dog, whether it was on a leash or not,” Dickson noted. She added that bears tend to view dogs as predators.
Dickson noted that it was also garbage collection day in the area. The animal could have been looking for food in the buckets and therefore attacked a nearby human. The expert also said that the cubs are old enough to manage without their mother.
black bear
The black bear, also called the baribal, is found in mountainous and forest areas in North America (from northern Canada to Florida and Mexico). It is a predatory mammal belonging to the bear family (Ursidae). The male can weigh up to 409 kilograms, and the female up to 236 kilograms. Their fur is black, sometimes turning brown. These animals are great at climbing trees.
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Main photo source: Shutterstock