Bear’s Midnight Home-Invasion and Attack of a Woman Launches an Urgent Search

An elderly woman experienced a terrifying encounter the other night when a bear invaded her Colorado home while she slept. Awakened by crashing sounds and her barking dog, the woman left her bedroom to investigate. When she opened the door to her mudroom, she was surprised to find a small bear leaping at her and scratching her legs.

The 82-year-old woman evaded the bear by pushing it away, shutting the door, and trapping it in her mudroom. The bear then scrambled around the room for a bit. Finally, it lept on a shelf and ripped out a window screen to escape. The woman’s injuries were not severe, and she declined medical attention.

The bear invaded the Colorado home near Boncarbo, which is west of Trinidad and three hours south of Denver. The attack happened near the Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area, which is home to a diverse amount of wildlife, including bears.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers are searching for the bear, which they describe as a “small, cinnamon-colored black bear“. Officials believe the bear is young, around one year old, and weighs about 100 pounds.

Where Do Black Bears Live in Colorado?

Black bears are common in Colorado and live throughout the Rocky Mountains in forested or shrubby areas. It’s estimated up to 16,000 bears live in the state. A black bear is a species of bear (Ursus americanus), not a color. Black bears can have black, blonde, cinnamon, or brown fur. 

Is It Normal Behavior for Bears to Break Into Homes?

According to CPW, this is the second bear attack near Trinidad in the past two weeks and the fourth in Colorado for 2023. While it’s rare for a bear to break into a home, sometimes in the hunt for food, bears may become unwanted guests.

In another recent invasion, a bear broke into a home in Vail, Colorado, but didn’t harm anyone. Instead, the bear stopped to play the piano before leaving the house. The homeowner’s security footage picked up the unusual activity.

CPW recommends bear-proofing your home if you live in areas near bear populations. You can do this by keeping doors and windows securely closed and locked. If you must keep your windows open, install sturdy grates or bars, and don’t leave your garage door open longer than necessary. For further tips, check out CPW’s recommendations on bear-proofing your home.

How Big Can Black Bears Get?

Luckily for the victim of this recent bear attack, this black bear was a young one and weighed only around 100 pounds. A fully grown black bear would have been harder to fight off. Adult male black bears can grow as large as nearly 600 pounds.