A black bear pushed through a bedroom window screen at a home in Crestline, California, and injured a 19-year-old man inside, according to wildlife and fire officials.
The incident happened around 6 a.m. Monday in the San Bernardino County mountain community, CBS Los Angeles reported. Investigators with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the bear entered the home through the window screen.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department said the man woke up to a bear paw before the animal swiped at him. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and later released.
In bear country, warm weather can make an open window feel harmless. A screen may keep bugs out, but it will not stop a bear that is drawn close to a home by food smells, trash, grills, pet food, fruit trees, or other attractants.
The Bear Entered Through A Bedroom Window
Kevin Velasco-Wood’s mother, Darah Wood, told CBS Los Angeles she heard commotion, ran from her room, scared the bear away, and called 911.
Firefighters searched the area near the 900 block of Oak Drive but did not find the animal.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Wood said her son needed stitches for injuries to his face. Family members also told the outlet that bears are known to wander into yards in the area, though they said this attack was unusual for their home.
Wildlife Officers Are Using DNA Evidence
CDFW collected possible DNA evidence from both the victim and the residence, CBS Los Angeles reported.
The agency’s Wildlife Forensics Laboratory analyzed the samples, and officials said the results would be used as officers try to capture the bear involved.
CBS Los Angeles also reported that CDFW said the bear could be euthanized if state officials determine it is a public-safety threat. The agency was still investigating, and the report did not say the bear had been captured.
Open Windows Can Let Food Smells Out
CDFW’s summer bear guidance says open windows and doors can let food smells leave a home, drawing black bears toward houses.
The agency says windows should be closed when people are away from a house or asleep, and doors should be locked because some bears know how to open them.
The same CDFW guidance tells residents in bear areas to secure garbage, avoid leaving groceries or scented items in vehicles, clean and store barbecue grills, and remember that vegetable gardens, compost piles, fruit trees, and chickens can attract bears.
CDFW also warns that black bears may lose their fear of people when they find food around homes. In neighborhoods where bears are active, windows, doors, trash, grills, pet food, and backyard food sources all need to be treated as part of the same home-safety check.