Boulder man attacked by bear while walking dogs, wildlife officials say

A mama bear with a nearby cub chased a man and scratched him after causing him to fall in Boulder over the weekend, state wildlife officials said on Tuesday.

The incident happened around 11 p.m. along High Street, where Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the man was walking his dogs around 11 p.m. when the bear charged at the man and the two dogs. He tripped over his dogs' leashes, causing him to fall, and the bear scratched the man across his back. He described his injuries to wildlife officers as "superficial," CPW said.

Responding officers were unable to locate either bear after hours of searching, but found an overturned trash can and evidence of bear activity.

Wildlife officials are warning people about increased bear activity this time of year, especially after 2024 saw above-average bear activity. More than half of all reported bear sightings and conflicts were reported in August, September, and October last year.

"Colorado Parks and Wildlife should always be the first call when bears are spotted in town," said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Jason Duetsch. "The resident experiencing bear conflicts should contact CPW directly as we are able to provide education, advice and track wildlife movement in order to make more-informed management decisions. While bears are trying to bulk up for winter, it's especially important to stay vigilant about trash so they are not rewarded with non-natural food."