A bear attack early Friday morning left two individuals injured outside their home in a small Idaho community. The incident occurred around 3:30 AM in the Sunset Heights subdivision, located near Salmon, a town with a population of just over 3,000 residents.
Emergency Response and Bear Neutralization
One of the victims was transported by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, according to officials with Idaho Fish and Game. The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office promptly notified Idaho Fish and Game, which then activated its Wildlife Human Attack Response Team to secure the area.
Authorities, employing the expertise of a professional houndsman, later tracked and located the bear involved in the attack. Alongside it were its sibling and what was believed to be their mother. All three animals were subsequently euthanized.
Public Safety Recommendations
In response to the incident, the sheriff's office issued a public advisory on Friday, urging residents to take proactive measures to prevent bears from approaching their homes. Key recommendations included removing outdoor food sources, securing all potential entry points, and deploying deterrents around properties.
The department provided a list of specific preventative actions. These included properly securing food and trash, locking garbage containers, thoroughly cleaning outdoor grills after use, removing bird feeders, taking in outdoor pet food, managing fruit trees to prevent fallen fruit accumulation, blocking any possible entry points into residences, keeping windows and doors shut, and utilizing deterrent mats. The two individuals were reportedly attacked while on their porch.
Previous Bear Encounter
This event follows a separate bear attack reported in July in Fremont County, an area southeast of Lemhi County. In that earlier incident, a jogger and their dog were confronted by a bear within a state park. The jogger was able to exit the area without assistance, and the dog remained unharmed. The bear involved in the July encounter was not found.