A black bear that in at least two previous years charged at humans was euthanized in Boulder on July 2, 2019, after it was observed eating garbage in north Boulder and then charged at a man. A necropsy performed Tuesday showed it weighed 243 pounds and based on tooth wear was estimated at 8 to 10 years old. Its stomach was full of trash and wrappers from food products but no normal food forage. (Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

ASPEN — A bear has attacked a human in Aspen for the third time in three months, prompting wildlife officials to plead with people to keep garbage and other edibles secure from the animals.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says a black bear bit a restaurant manager who was trying to scare the animal out of a trash bin Sunday. The agency says the bear will be killed if it can be found because it has little fear of humans and could attack again.

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“If people do not take this issue seriously, I believe it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed,” said CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager Matt Yamashita. “We as a community have been lucky that injuries to humans this summer have been relatively minor, but these attacks should be taken as a serious warning to take action now.”

Officials said the bear — described by the victim as weighing up to 400 pounds — was scavenging for food and questioned why the trash bin was left open.

A bear bit an Aspen hiker in May, and another bear scratched a man’s arm in July.

Officials worry that the increasing number of bear attacks will result in serious injuries.

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