A young bear injured two people outside their home Friday in a small Idaho community, authorities said.
The attack occurred at about 3:30 a.m. in the Sunset Heights subdivision near Salmon, a town in Lemhi County with a population of slightly more than 3,000.
Idaho Fish and Game said one of the victims was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls for treatment.
The agency said the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office reported the incident, prompting the deployment of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Human Attack Response Team to secure the area.
Using a professional houndsman, authorities tracked down the bear, one of its siblings and what they believed was the animals’ mother. All three bears were later euthanized.
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The sheriff’s office urged residents to eliminate outdoor food odors, secure possible entry points and place deterrents around their properties to keep bears from entering homes.
Officials recommended securing food and trash, locking garbage containers, cleaning outdoor grills, removing bird feeders and pet food, managing fruit trees and sealing potential access points. Residents were also advised to keep doors and windows closed and consider using deterrent mats.
KTVB-TV reported that the two victims were attacked while standing on their porch.
The incident follows a separate bear attack in July, when a jogger and his dog were confronted in a state park in Fremont County, southeast of Lemhi County.
The jogger was able to leave the area on foot, and the dog was not injured.
Authorities did not locate the bear involved in that attack.
