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A security guard was injured by a large bear that wandered into the kitchen of a Colorado resort.
Hotel surveillance video of the incident shows the terrifying moments the man was knocked to the ground by the wild animal, Knewz.com has discovered.
The black bear walked into the St. Regis Aspen Resort Monday night, October 23, KDVR-TV reports. The video shows the bear strolling into one part of the empty kitchen before leaving the frame to explore a different area.
The security guard then enters the scene, walking toward the area where the bear had gone. Suddenly, the animal reappears, and seems to swipe at the security guard, knocking him to the ground. The bear then leaves the scene.
The man had been investigating reports that the bear was in the hotel, KDVR in Denver reported. When the animal left, he was reportedly able to call 911 for help and was treated at a hospital for scratches on his back.
Wildlife officials tracked down the bear — which they determined was male — early on Wednesday, October 25, according to a Colorado Parks and Wildlife statement.
Investigators said they were able to determine they captured the right animal because of the distinct white markings that can be seen on the bear's chest in the video.
The animal was shot with a tranquilizer gun and "humanely euthanized," per Colorado Parks and Wildlife policy. His body was reportedly sent to a lab for a necropsy.
While most bear-related problems are the result of people failing to take precautionary measures, officials said the hotel kitchen was "clean," and free from food that would attract bears.
Wildlife officials said they confirmed the bear was behaving aggressively using the surveillance video.
Earlier this month, a female bear was euthanized after attacking two boys in the woods in Colorado, Knewz.com reported. One of the boys had minor injuries from trying to run away, but the pair was otherwise unharmed.
Bears are euthanized in Colorado if they "pose an immediate threat to human safety," attack livestock, or if they are considered "nuisance bears" with two strikes, according to officials. A nuisance bears are those that pose an immediate threat to property, but not public safety, and are usually just relocated.
Officials estimated there are between 17,000 and 20,000 bears in Colorado's wilderness, and that the population is "stable and growing."