Woman, 82, fights off 100lb bear who broke into home and charged at her

An 82-year-old woman displayed incredible courage as she successfully fended off a 100lb bear that had broken into her home.

The incident occurred shortly after midnight on August 11th, leaving the unnamed woman with only minor scratches. The pensioner’s ordeal began when she was abruptly awakened by a crashing noise, accompanied by the distressed growling of her dog in Boncarbo, Colorado.

She jumped out of bed to investigate. As she entered the entrance hall, the unexpected intruder – a small cinnamon-coloured black bear – leaped at her. She estimated the bear weighed around 100lbs.

But the 82-year-old managed to push the bear off her, avoiding a potentially fatal confrontation. Acting swiftly, she shut the double doors to confine the bear within a room.

The woman suffered only minor scratches on her legs and refused medical attention but she did alert the Colorado Parks And Wildlife Department to the incident. The Department classified the bear as dangerous and said it will be humanely euthanised if found.

CPW Officer Bob Holder immediately began a search of the area and set a trap for the bear in case it returned. Mike Brown, CPW’s regional Area Wildlife Manager said in a statement: “Human health and safety always remain our top priority in any incident like this, regardless of how minor the injuries are.

The bear, believed to be a cub or yearling, then scrambled frantically around the room, climbed a shelf and exited the house by tearing through an open window screen.

“CPW officers are doing everything we can to locate this bear. Luckily, the victim’s injuries consist of very minor scratches.”

Last week, a Pennsylvania man survived a close call with a bear while he was filling up a kiddie pool for his granddaughter in his garage.

Footage shared on Facebook by John Swartz’s wife, Lori, on July 29 shows a bear walk up unto what appears to be the family’s porch on their Danville, Pennsylvania, property. Two cats can be seen lounging in a porch seat as the large predator makes its way to the garage.

Additional footage shows John making his way to the same area where the bear had wandered. The two have their brief interaction before John runs back to safety, with his furry pals startled by all of the commotion.

John wound up getting bit on the head by the bear before running into his home. His wife frantically rushed to cover the wound and called 9-1-1 to alert them as to what had happened. He received a tetanus shot and treatment for the bite mark. Back at the scene, a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer set up a bear trap filled with donuts and sugary syrup in a bid to attract the bear. They are still trying to capture the bear.

What you can do

Support ‘Fighting for Wildlife’ by donating as little as $1 – It only takes a minute. Thank you.

DONATE NOW

Fighting for Wildlife supports approved wildlife conservation organizations, which spend at least 80 percent of the money they raise on actual fieldwork, rather than administration and fundraising. When making a donation you can designate for which type of initiative it should be used – wildlife, oceans, forests or climate.

This article by Lucy Williamson was first published by The Mirror on 14 August 2023. Lead Image: An 82-year-old woman displayed incredible courage as she successfully fended off a 100lb bear (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto).