Wildlife managers say there are between 17,000 and 20,000 black bears in Colorado. Adobe Photostock.

A black bear attacked a man inside a Colorado resort late Monday night, sending him to a nearby hospital with back injuries. According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW), the bear entered the St. Regis Hotel & Resort through a series of doors near an outdoor pavilion before charging the on-duty security guard in the kitchen.

“After receiving reports of a bear inside the hotel, the … guard went to investigate,” reads a CPW press release issued last night. “While in the kitchen, the security guard surprised the bear as he was going around a corner into another area of the kitchen. The bear attacked the guard, swiping at him and knocking him down to the ground.”

The guard broke free from the attacking bear and called 911. First responders later transported him to the hospital via ambulance. “He received care for scratches to his back, and was later released from the hospital early Tuesday morning,” the release states.

According to CPW, wildlife officers arrived on the scene around midnight. Through their investigation, they got a detailed description of the bear, “including specific identification markers.” They located the animal a short time later in an area near the hotel.

“Due to public safety they were unable to safely tranquilize and capture the bear,” CPW said. “Wildlife officers will return to the area and continue search efforts Tuesday evening.” CPW did not immediately respond to questions about the results of Tuesday night’s search.

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Black bears are a common sight inside Aspen town limits. On the City of Aspen website, officials advise residents and visitors to avoid eye contact with in-town bear and to “fight back if attacked.” CPW called the recent attack an “unfortunate reminder that bears are still active as they prepare for hibernation.”

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