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BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON — A 150-pound black bear wandered into a cabin in Big Cottonwood Canyon Monday, officials said.
The bear was likely attracted to the cabin by a hummingbird feeder, peanuts and a barbecue grill, according to Scott Root of the Division of Wildlife Services. There were bear sightings reported in the canyon on Sunday before the bear wandered into the cabin while a man was home Monday morning, officials said.
The bear ate food from the bird feeder and whatever else she could sniff out, according to Root.
He said the bear was probably between 2 and 3 years old and experiencing its first year away from its mom. The man was not hurt and officers from the DWR were able to tranquillize the bear and release it.
"She was out there exploring on her own and she got into a little bit of trouble, but thankfully because she didn't act aggressively towards people and
do significant property damage, we were able to release her," Root said.
He said this incident serves as a good reminder to keep cabins and campsites clean. The DWR recommends campers and homeowners cut down on the smells that attract bears by storing food inside of areas bears can't access and keeping grills tidy. They said any tools used for preparing, eating or clearing up food should be cleaned.
Contributing: Nkoyo Iyamba
