Black bear killed after attacking man in Whatcom County; first human/bear incident since 2015

A man jogging on a Whatcom County trail sustained multiple injuries from a black bear on Wednesday, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The bear was later found and killed by officers.

At about 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, officers with WDFW received a report of the attack on a trail in a forested area of central Whatcom County.

The man who was jogging on the trail sustained injuries to his hands and feet and was released from the hospital later that day.

Officers used a Karelian bear dog to locate the bear, and lethally removed the bear near where the incident occurred.

According to WDFW, the last fatal bear attack in Washington was in 1974. This is the first human-black bear encounter with an injury since 2015.

If you encounter a bear in the wild, WDFW says you should identify yourself as a human by standing up, waving your hands above your head and talking in a low voice. Then back away, avoiding direct eye contact. Make noise and leash your pets while you’re hiking.

More information can be found on the WDFW website.

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