Black bear euthanized after it bit man in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Aug 1, 2024, 6:29 AM | Updated: 6:37 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — A man was bitten by a black bear in Big Cottonwood Canyon Wednesday afternoon.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources said sometime between 1:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., the man was trail running in the Mill D North Fork Trail area of the canyon when he heard a bear in the brush near him.
“And it proceeded to bluff, charge him a couple of times,” said Scott Root, DWR’s conservation outreach manager. “As he was backing up to get away from the situation a little bit, he tripped on a log, fell backward, and that’s when the black bear lunged at him and bit him on the upper arm, on the tricep area, leaving him with puncture wounds.
Root said the man was able to kick the bear off him and was able to escape. The man drove himself to St Mark’s Hospital to have his injuries looked at.
“They were puncture marks and they were bleeding and all of that,” Root said of the injuries.
DWR conservation officers and biologists went to Big Cottonwood Canyon with tracking hounds to locate the adult female bear, which they found at approximately 9:45 p.m. Due to its aggressive behavior, officers had to euthanize the bear.
“It’s never a fun day to do that, but it’s the right call. And as per our division policy,” Root said.
Root said the bear did not have any cubs with her, but because of how bears are territorial, it could have just been bad timing.
“It could have just been that they both kind of ran into each other,” he said.
On Tuesday, a black bear in American Fork was euthanized after the bear had visited several campgrounds including Granite Flats, Timpooneke, Salamander Flat, Altamont campgrounds, and the Silver Lake area.
A search is currently underway at the Soapstone Campground for another bear that has been frequenting the area, causing the campground to be closed for visitor’s safety.
Black bears can be found across Utah, so the DWR has some safety tips if you ever encounter one:
- Stand your ground: Never back up, lie down, or play dead. Stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Prepare to use your bear spray or another deterrent.
- Don’t run away or climb a tree: Black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 mph. You cannot outclimb or outrun them.
- Know bear behavior: If a bear stands up, grunts, moans, or makes other sounds — it’s not being aggressive. These are the ways a bear gets a better look or smell and expresses it’s interest.
- If a black bear attacks, always fight back: And never give up! People have successfully defended themselves with almost anything; rocks, sticks, backpacks, water bottles, and even their hands and feet.
