'There was no bear attack' in Golden Gate Canyon Park: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
A woman who was reportedly attacked by a bear in the state park actually wasn't.
A reported bear attack on a woman on a trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park did not happen, according to Colorado Park and Wildlife officials who investigated the attack site.
“The investigation determined that there was no bear attack. The injuries that she sustained were not consistent with injuries that you see in a bear attack or other wildlife attacks,” Jason Clay, a spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told ABC News. “Our wildlife officers had also searched the area on site, and did not find any evidence of a bear or other wildlife active in the area.”
The "attack" was brought to light on Wednesday, when deputies from the Gilpin County Sheriff's Office responded to a call at about 1:20 p.m. reporting that a woman had been attacked by a bear on the park's Coyote Trail while hiking with her dog, Cherokee Blake, a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office told ABC News.
When the deputies arrived on the scene, CPW officials were already there. CPW went on to investigate the incident.
“After an investigation of the area and subsequent interview with the woman, CPW officials have determined that no bear attack occurred,” CPW said in a statement released on Wednesday. CPW would not disclose the woman's name.
Our wildlife officers had also searched the area on site, and did not find any evidence of a bear or other wildlife active in the area
“Wildlife officers and park rangers searched a 2-acre area around the scene, which was on the Coyote Trail at the state park, and did not find any evidence of wildlife activity in the area,” read the statement.
Although the CPW officials are no longer investigating the scene, they are still looking into how the woman was injured, Clay said.
“We are not looking for any suspects. We do not suspect any foul play. But law enforcement will follow up and finish up their investigation,” Clay said.
The woman was sent to Saint Anthony Medical Center at around 1:40 p.m. to be treated for her injuries, according to Clay.
“She was able to walk on her own to the ambulance from the trail to the trailhead,” Clay said, adding that the trail has since been reopened and that park officials believe the park is safe for the public to visit.
Even though there have never been any incidents of a bear attack in the park, Clay said that CPW wants people to be aware of their surroundings when they are biking or hiking in the park. Bears are highly active as they prepare for hibernation, eating upwards of 20,000 calories a day at this time of the year, according to the statement.
“We still like people to be what we call 'bear aware,'" Clay said. “When they are recreating, hiking mountains, biking, whatever, maybe in bear habitat, be aware of their surroundings.”
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