Quick Take
- Black bears are described as non-aggressive, which raises the question of what actually pushed this one to attack a security guard inside a five-star hotel. See bear behavior explained →
- Fatal black bear encounters are rarer than most people think, but one specific factor dramatically increases the risk. That factor is hiding in plain sight around most homes and businesses. Understand the key risk factor →
- The bear didn't break in, and the way it actually got inside the hotel reveals a critical mistake many properties don't realize they're making. See how food conditioning works →
- Once a bear learns one thing about your property, wildlife officials say reversing it may be impossible, leaving lethal removal as the only outcome. Learn why it becomes irreversible →
A security guard at the St. Regis Aspen Resort in Aspen, Colorado, got a lot more than he expected when he went to investigate reports of a bear inside the hotel. As he rounded a corner in the kitchen, he surprised a black bear that was already roaming the building. The bear swiped at him and knocked him to the floor before moving away. The guard escaped, called 911, and was taken to a hospital with scratches on his back. He was released the following morning. Colorado wildlife officers later located the bear, captured it, and euthanized it under agency policy.
Watch the Encounter Now
How Do Black Bears Normally Behave?
Black bears generally try to avoid people, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife describes them as not naturally aggressive. That does not make a close encounter harmless. They are large, powerful wild animals, and a bear that is surprised, cornered, or focused on food can seriously injure someone.
Fatal black bear attacks are rare. A 2011 study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management documented at least 63 deaths in 59 incidents involving wild American black bears in the United States and Canada from 1900 through 2009. The same study found that food or garbage probably helped draw the bear to the location in 38% of the fatal incidents where that factor could be evaluated.
That food connection matters in places such as Aspen. Black bears have an excellent sense of smell and readily investigate garbage, pet food, restaurant waste, grills, and other high-calorie food sources around people. Once a bear repeatedly finds easy meals around homes or businesses, it can lose some of its natural wariness of humans and become increasingly difficult to manage.
Is It a Good Idea to Feed Black Bears?
No. Feeding a black bear, intentionally or unintentionally, can teach it to associate people and buildings with food. Wildlife agencies consistently warn against it because food-conditioned bears may repeatedly return to neighborhoods, campsites, hotels, or other developed areas and can become increasingly bold.
That can end badly for both people and bears. Colorado Parks and Wildlife warns that some bears become so accustomed to human food that they eventually have to be killed to protect public safety. In this case, officials determined that the Aspen bear had entered the hotel through doors near the courtyard. The available reporting does not establish exactly what attracted it inside, so there is no reason to guess whether it was garbage, kitchen smells, or something else.
How to Store Garbage to Deter Bears
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Good garbage management is one of the simplest ways to keep bears from hanging around homes and businesses. Wildlife agencies recommend storing garbage responsibly by using certified bear-resistant containers whenever possible. If you do not have one, keep trash in tightly sealed containers inside a secure garage, shed, basement, or other location a bear cannot easily reach.
Wash containers regularly to reduce odors, clean up food residue around grills and outdoor eating areas, and wait until collection day to put unsecured garbage outside rather than leaving it out overnight. Bears are very good at finding an easy meal. The easiest bear problem to deal with is the one you never invite onto the property in the first place.
