UNBEARABLE

Black Bear Bites Colorado Camper Relaxing in Hammock

Authorities are hunting for a black bear after a report that it wandered up to a camper in the dark, biting him on the arm after the man switched on his headlamp.

In a highly unusual attack, a man camping in Colorado was bitten by a black bear on Saturday night, according to state authorities. In a press release, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said that the camper was “relaxing in a hammock” when he heard a rustling noise near him. The man told investigators that he turned on his head lamp and saw “a dark-colored bear” next to him. The bear bit him on the right arm and wandered off, the man said, adding that he had no food or other items that might have attracted the animal. Authorities said the man’s injury “appeared to be a 2-3 inch bite.” Notified of the bear attack after 10 p.m., wildlife officers and dogs were called into the area to initiate a search for the animal, which is expected to be euthanized if caught. “Bear attacks are rare and we take them very seriously,” said Mike Brown, a wildlife manager for the region. The black bear is considered the least aggressive bear species and only attacks humans when startled or defending itself; federal data indicates that there is, on average, just one fatal black bear attack per year.