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Baby bear coaxed from second story apartment

Randy Wyrick
Vail Daily
This baby bear managed to find its way into a second floor Eagle-Vail apartment
Eagle River Fire Protection District |

EAGLE-VAIL — An Eagle-Vail resident awoke in his second floor apartment early Saturday to find a baby bear rummaging through the refrigerator.

First, here’s what you really want to know — no injuries (to humans or bear) were reported. Mama bear was not around.

The call rolled in about 4:45 a.m. Saturday, when the resident reported a bear in the living room, which, police added, was on the second floor.



The resident wisely locked himself in his bedroom, dialed 911 and waited for help to arrive.

An Avon crew with the Eagle River Fire Protection District responded quickly, along with some Eagle County Sheriff’s Office deputies.



The deputies and firefighters opened the door to the hallway, and the confused baby bear poked its head out, eying the authorities in the hallway to its left with a pretty confused look.

The bear ran to daylight and escaped with a quick pivot to its right that would have made Walter Payton proud.

It’s not clear how the bear got into the second floor apartment, but bears can climb, and a door might have been left ajar, authorities said.

“Bears are out, and they are hungry!” a representative of the fire district said. “The Eagle River Fire Protection District encourages everyone to keep your windows and doors secured, and ensure garbage and pet food aren’t left out to attract bears. Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear.”

Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 or rwyrick@vaildaily.com.


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