A black bear believed to have attacked a man on a river rafting expedition near Desolation Canyon in the plateau country of east central Utah was captured and euthanized Thursday night. Wildlife officials also now believe the bear was responsible for a second attack.
Officials began looking for the bear after a man was attacked Wednesday, suffering a puncture wound to his calf and superficial wounds to his abdomen. His injures were not life-threatening, said Derris Jones, manager of the Division of Wildlife Resources' southeastern region.
Jones said Friday that they now believe the same bear may have been responsible for another attack at a campsite two miles away on Tuesday. The camper in Tuesday's attack suffered only superficial wounds, Jones said.
Two members of the U.S. Department of Agriculture who specialize in trapping were flown by helicopter into the area Thursday. They set up traps about 7 p.m.
They went back to check the traps at 6 a.m. Friday and found a 2- to 3-year-old female black bear in the trap they set right at the camp site where the more recent attack occurred. Shortly after the bear was euthanized. The remains will be checked for rabies, Jones said.
Originally it was unclear whether one or two bears were involved in the attack. Based on what the trappers found Friday, Jones said they believe only one bear was responsible.
"They looked around real close. They could only see signs of one bear," he said. "We're real confident (only one bear was involved)."
The recent attack happened Wednesday about 10:45 p.m. at a remote campground near the Green River about 40 miles east of Price. Two river rafting groups were in the area when the bear attacked.
The bear ripped a tent in one group's campsite first, according to witnesses. No one was injured and the bear was scared away by campers banging pots and pans.
The bear then went to the next campsite, where the man was attacked. The name of the man was not released Friday.
He continued on with his group and was expected to have been checked at the hospital in Green River sometime Friday afternoon.
Since the bear's capture, the Cedar Ridge campsite in Desolation Canyon has been reopened. It was closed by state and federal officials after the attack.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com