You might not think you’d need a carry a bear gun if you’re stargazing on a ski lodge’s deck in the middle of summer, but the big ursas, particularly black bears, are very active in that area (read this harrowing account of another northern New Mexico black bear attack).
From the AP:
A woman was seriously injured when she was chased and attacked by a bear which approached her and her husband as they were comet-watching on the deck of a northern New Mexico ski area’s lodge, authorities said Saturday.
The bear Friday night came within a foot of the couple and then began chasing the woman before attacking her in the parking lot of the ski area on the outskirts of Los Alamos, the state Game and Fish Department said in a statement.
The woman was hospitalized for treatment of multiple injuries, including several broken bones, a collapsed lung, bite marks and scratches, the department said.
Los Alamos police officers who responded to a 911 call from the woman’s husband shot and killed a bear eating trash in the vicinity, the department said.
A forensic laboratory will analyze DNA samples to determine whether the bear killed by police was the one involved in the attack, the department said.
Department spokesman Tristanna Bickford said bear encounters aren’t uncommon in Los Alamos and that bears sometimes use drainages to enter the city from Valles Caldera National Preserve and other areas in search of food.
Oh. my. goodness. She’s a rock.
I want this girl in my foxhole… pic.twitter.com/4oT67HFKPg
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) July 19, 2020
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has a few suggestions for those who will be in the outdoors.
Every once in a while, people have face-to-face encounters with black bears. Do not panic. Chances are the bear is just as wary of you as you are of it. If you do encounter a bear, follow these rules to be safe.
- Do not run! – If you see a bear, stay calm.
- Stand upright – Slowly wave your arms.
- Back away – Slowly back away from the bear.
- Look for cubs – Do not come between a mother and her cubs.
- Fight back – If attacked, fight back aggressively.
To that, we’d add…carry a gun.