Mother Bear, 2 Cubs Put Down After Charging At Hikers
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Wildlife officers had to put down a mother bear and her two cubs after they charged some hikers last week.
The bears charged the hikers on the Enchanted Forest Trail west of Golden.
The hikers had two dogs with them on short leashes. They told wildlife officers the bears charged several times, at one point getting just one foot away from the hikers.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill says the decision to put down an animal is always tough.
"We do not relocate aggressive bears. Since this bear behaved aggressively, it would really be moving a problem to another area," said Churchill.
Churchill said the cubs were too old to be rehabilitated and too young to survive in the wild without their mother.
"I wish they could've come up with something else, you know, but having a first-hand encounter I can see why they had to take care of it," said hiker Tim Speciale.
The hikers were not hurt.