In the rugged wilderness of southwestern Colorado's San Juan National Forest, a 35-year-old sheepherder endured a harrowing encounter with a black bear early Tuesday morning. The attack, the first reported in Colorado this year, occurred within the Weiminuche Wilderness area. Awakened around 1 a.m. by a commotion between the bear and his flock, the herder fired his rifle at the animal before being attacked himself. He suffered bites to the head, along with injuries to his arm and hand.
Following the attack, the injured sheepherder managed to retreat to his tent and alert his cousin. He was subsequently airlifted to a local hospital and then transferred to another facility for surgery, before being released on Wednesday. The sheepherder was working for a rancher who held a grazing permit for the remote area, a common practice during the summer months.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, collaborating with a USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service agent and a team of tracking dogs, located a male black bear with chest wounds later on Tuesday night. The bear, weighing approximately 250 pounds, was subsequently euthanized. Wildlife officials stated that while this is a difficult aspect of their work, human health and safety takes precedence in cases of predator attacks.
According to a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the suspected bear had killed and consumed two sheep. Wool was discovered in the bear's stomach, and human DNA was found on its claws. Further analysis is underway to confirm whether the DNA matches that of the injured sheepherder. While black bears primarily subsist on berries and acorns, they are known to prey on smaller livestock like sheep, goats, and chickens when the opportunity arises.
