Brazen bear attacks security guard inside hotel kitchen after surprise encounter

25 October 2023 , 17:27

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The attack occurred around 11.pm when the security guard was scouring the hotel for a wild animal (Image: Google Maps)

A Colorado security guard sustained back injuries this week after he unexpectedly confronted a wild bear that was seemingly raiding the pantry of a hotel kitchen.

The unidentified security guard was responding to reports of a wild animal in the hotel building he worked in around 11.pm Monday night. He swept the area eventually coming face-to-face with the bear in the St. Regis Aspen Resort kitchen as the animal turned a corner. The beast promptly attacked, swiping at the man, which sent him to the ground.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the on-site guard narrowly escaped. He was subsequently transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he was treated for back injuries. The man was released early Tuesday morning. Wildlife officers arrived at the scene of the attack around Midnight, Tuesday to search for the bear.

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The security guard sustained back injuries but was released from the hospital the following morning (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Their investigation determined the bear entered the hotel through a series of doors near the courtyard. The officials eventually got a description of the bear, including specific "identification markers" to make the bear hunt easier. The animal was found in the area by the officers later in the day, Tuesday, but the officials cited a public safety issue that kept them from tranquilising it. Wildlife officers returned to the scene Tuesday evening to continue the bear hunt.

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In July, a Colorado sheepherder endured a black bear attack in the mountains. The 35-year-old man sustained severe bites to his head among other bloody wounds. Officials said the bear was later found and killed.

The security guard unexpectedly confronted the bear as he entered the kitchen (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The incident occurred in the mountains of the San Juan National Park around 1am when an unidentified sheepherder awoke to a stand-off between the bear and his sheep. The man who worked at a nearby ranch got his rifle and fired a round before being ultimately mauled by the animal.

Colorado wildlife officials worked with an agent and team of dogs from the US Department of Agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service to locate the wild bear. Officials identified the male black bear as the one responsible for the attack by its chest wounds made by the rancher's rifle.

Two Wildlife officers found the bear around midnight, Tuesday but chose not to engage (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The animal was shot dead later that same day. “This is a difficult part of the job,” Adrian Archuleta, the parks and wildlife area wildlife manager, lamented in the news release. “But when it comes to injuries to humans as a result of a predator attack, human health and safety is our top priority.”

Officials also confirmed the bear mauled and killed two sheep and fed on them, according to Parks and Wildlife spokesperson John Livingston. DNA tests revealed human remains in the bear's claws, which matched samples provided by the sheep herder.

Mataeo Smith