A California woman has become the state’s first known fatal victim of a bear attack. The highly unusual cause of her death has shocked wildlife officials in the state.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said, “This incident is the first known, documented fatal attack by a black bear in California history.”
What Happened?
71-year-old Patrice Miller was found dead in her home in Downieville, California in November last year. This week, a coroner’s report has confirmed that a black bear attack was the cause of her passing.
The coroner’s report posits that the black bear likely dragged Miller from her bed to her living room where the fatal attack then took place. The gruesome discovery of Miller’s body was made after a concerned friend requested a welfare check.
A Bear Attack Was Not Initially Expected
Given that California has never recorded a fatal bear attack against a human before, officials initially did not suspect this to be Miller’s cause of death. This is despite blood streaks and paw prints being found at the scene.
When officials first responded to the welfare check on Miller, they assumed the elderly woman had died of natural causes. They believed the bear had simply been attracted to the scent and had broken into the house after Miller’s passing.
This Wasn’t Miller’s First Encounter With The Bear
Miller’s deadly encounter with the bear was not the first time she had seen the bear. Instead, neighbors reported that the bear had a history of turning up in the neighborhood and harassing Miller’s home.
In fact, Miller was reported to have nicknamed the black bear “Big B***ard” and had previously installed steel bars across her windows to keep the bear out.
A Highly Unusual Encounter
Despite a growing population of black bears in California, Miller’s death from a bear attack represents the first such death recorded in the Golden State – demonstrating the highly unlikely nature of this event.
While bears have been known to break into homes to steal food and raid trash cans, they usually scare off at the first sign of humans. This is because bears are not normalized to human behavior.
Bears Behaving Boldly
The killing of Miller by a male bear – whose responsibility for the attack was confirmed via DNA testing – was certainly a shock. However, it also fits with a wider pattern of bears becoming bolder in their actions.
A wildlife official told the BBC that bears “lose their natural fear of people and their actions get bolder and bolder” when homes become easy food sources. However, Peter Tira, of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said “This is the most extreme example we’ve seen in state history.”
Killer Bear Meets It’s Own End
The bear that killed Patrice Miller was eventually trapped and euthanized by state officials, who then conducted DNA tests to make sure they had correctly identified the offending bear.
However, Miller’s friend Cassie Koch said that while Miller had previously voiced her desire for the bear she deemed “Big B***ard” to be removed, she did not want the bear to be hurt.
Frightening Bear Attack in Next Door State
While bear attacks against humans are unusual, another report of such a terrifying incident was recorded just last month in Arizona – the state next door to California.
A 15-year-old boy in Arizona was attacked by a black bear while in a bunkhouse last month. The boy was saved by his brother but was visibly injured following the encounter.
California’s Growing Bear Population
California is home to approximately 65,000 black bears. 40% of such bears can be found in the Sierra Nevadas area where Patrice Miller lived. Officials believe Miller’s vegetable garden and compost could have attracted the bear to her property.
California’s black bear population has surged by 45% in the last 10 years. In 2014, the state was thought to be home to just 35,101 members of the species – nearly half the number that are now believed to populate the Golden State.
What To Do in a Bear Encounter
The National Park Service has a multitude of tips for those who find themselves recognized by a bear. These include calmly talking to the bear, picking up any small children immediately, making yourself as large as possible, and slowly moving away in a sideways fashion if the bear is stationary.
The National Park Service also says people should avoid doing the following: running, climbing a tree, giving bears food and, getting between a female bear and her cubs. If attacked, people are advised only to play dead with brown/grizzly bears, and not with black bears.
