Three black bears ended up dead after a juvenile tried to get in the doorway of a home in Salmon, Idaho, prompting two residents to wrestle the animal.
Here's what to know
Two residents grappled with a juvenile black bear at the back door of their home in Salmon's Sunset Heights subdivision when the animal tried to force its way inside, according to Idaho Fish and Game.
The fight caused injuries to both residents. One was flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.
Idaho Fish and Game and the Lemhi County Sheriff's Office were called around 4:30 a.m., and the agency activated its Human Attack Response Team.
Authorities did not find the animals at the residence when they arrived at about 6 a.m. A houndsman was then used to track them, and officials determined a neighbor had shot the sow — that is, an adult female bear — shortly after the attack.
Early on Oct. 3, Idaho Fish and Game said the two juvenile bears had been trapped and euthanized.
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More background
The agency said it had learned about bears in the area on Oct. 1, when a nearby homeowner reported that a black bear with cubs was eating chickens at the property where the attack later happened.
Investigators later found that the bears had been feeding for several days on both the chickens and a "substantial accumulation" of unsecured household garbage outside the home. Readily available food around residences can teach wild animals to view neighborhoods as an easy source of meals.
What's being done?
Fish and Game had already begun responding because of the Oct. 1 report. After the mauling, the agency and the Lemhi County Sheriff's Office escalated their efforts and brought in the Human Attack Response Team to investigate and secure the Sunset Heights area.
Officials also relied on traps and tracking dogs to locate the animals. Traps were already set near the property, and once responders saw the bears were gone from the home, a houndsman was called in. That confirmed the sow's death and preceded the capture of the juveniles early on Oct. 3.
Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Manager Dennis Newman summed up the stakes in the agency's statement: "The safety of the area's residents remains our top priority. Fish and Game would like to express our condolences to the individuals attacked, and we wish them a quick and complete recovery."
Fish and Game also took the opportunity to remind residents to secure leftovers, trash, and pet food, all of which can attract bears and other wildlife.
Where can I learn more?
For more on bear encounters, these articles show what can happen when wildlife gets too comfortable around people:
• In Tennessee, wildlife officers euthanized three bears after a woman was confronted on her porch.
• In North Carolina, residents warned that people feeding neighborhood bears could get the animals destroyed.
• In Massachusetts, a homeowner filmed a black bear searching for food in a garden.
• Near South Dakota, residents saw unusual bears near city streets and froze.
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