'Aggressive' mama bear, cub euthanized after sow charges at 2 young boys in Colorado

A black bear and her cub were euthanized after the sow charged at two boys in Colorado Springs last week, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department has said.

Authorities said that officials received a call for help on the evening of Oct. 4 about a bear attack with injuries involving two boys in a heavily wooded open space in Colorado Springs.

Officers arrived at the scene to discover that an aggressive mother bear had charged at the boys, aged 12 and 13, twice, prompting one of them to run into a tree branch and suffering a minor injury.

Wildlife officials, along with officers of the Colorado Springs Police Department, then searched the area for the bear, estimated to be 150 pounds, and her two cubs.

They were able to locate the sow quickly, who was being aggressive, and euthanized her.

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Locating the cubs

Authorities then launched a search for the two bear cubs, who were located after an hours-long search in the darkness and heavy brush. They were scared up a tree so they could be tranquilized.

"The goal was to capture them and release them in the mountains in more suitable bear habitat. At their age and weight, the cubs were old enough to survive on their own," said the wildlife department in their news release.

Multiple tactics, including placing a trap above the spot where the bears were first encountered, were employed to capture the two cubs, according to the department.

The two cubs were then taken to CPW offices, where they were tagged for release and given a drug to reverse the tranquilizer. However, one of the cubs never recovered.

The surviving cub was released Friday morning in a remote mountain location.

“This was an unfortunate situation where a sow had become dangerously aggressive toward people instead of being scared of humans,” CPW wildlife manager Tim Kroening said in a statement. “There was no choice but to put it down after it repeatedly charged people."

Kroening added that the death of the cub was a "sad reminder" of why CPW is reluctant to tranquilize wildlife.

"There are many risks involved when tranquilizing wildlife," said the officer.

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What to do if you spot a bear

The National Park Service suggests keeping a few things in mind in case of an encounter:

• Talk in a low, steady voice and do not scream or otherwise act suddenly.
• Make yourself appear as large as possible.
• Travel in groups and pick up small children upon sighting a bear.
• If you encounter a bear in your own yard, do not leave the house. Ensure everyone is secure inside before banging pots or making other loud noises to scare the bear away.
• If you see cubs, be extra cautious. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs.

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Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.