A bear severely lacerated the arm of a Colorado woman on Wednesday as she tried to put the lid on her backyard hot tub back on, authorities said.
The attack took place in New Castle shortly after 2 a.m., according to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
“The woman saw that the lid of her hot tub had been partially removed and went outside to put the lid back on. As she fastened the lid, she saw a bear come down from a tree and rush toward her,” the statement said. “The bear, later determined to be the sow, struck the woman, severely beating and tearing her arm. “
The injured woman managed to get into her home, where she called 911. She also suffered scratches to her back, officials said.
When New Castle police arrived, four boars, a sow and three cubs were nearby, according to Parks and Wildlife, who ordered police to “shoot and kill the sow.” According to Parks and Wildlife, the sow was in a tree when she was killed.
The agency was initially unable to determine whether the sow or any of the cubs had attacked the woman. The decision was made to euthanize the bears, Parks and Wildlife said. A cub was euthanized.
Due to the location of two other cubs in a tree, along with the proximity of a busy road and homes, Parks and Wildlife decided to wait to euthanize the remaining cubs.
During a follow-up investigation, Parks and Wildlife determined that the sow was the only boar involved in the attack.
Because the two remaining cubs were not directly involved in the attack, the agency sent the cubs to a rehabilitation center. According to Parks and Wildlife, the sow and cub’s remains are sent to the agency’s Wildlife Health Lab for necropsy.
Todd Miyazawa contributed.