Caught on camera: Bear sneaks up behind child in Aspen yard

DENVER ( KDVR ) — A child was having a snack in a backyard in Aspen on Saturday when a black bear came up behind him.

The family told FOX31 that they had seen bears in the area before, even catching some on camera at night, but never in broad daylight like this.

The boy and his parents were spending the weekend with family in Aspen. He was munching on a bag of kettle corn that the family had bought at a farmers market earlier that day.

The incident was all caught on camera, showing the bear sniffing in the air while approaching the boy, who was sitting on a yard chair near a firepit. The bear came within about a foot of his head.

At that moment, the boy’s mother, Rachel Schmela said she didn’t know what to do.

“I was like, frozen for a couple of seconds, I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “Luckily, Rob and his brother kind of jumped into action sooner than I did and they knew just to make some loud noise and that would scare the bear.”

No one was hurt in the incident.

Keep bears out of the house with Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s bear-proofing tips :

• Close and lock doors and windows
• Bearproof trash cans
• Guard windows with bars
• Keep garage doors closed
• Have an “unwelcome” mat
• Keep car doors and windows closed and locked
• Remove tree limbs near decks and windows
• Install round door handles
• Play talk radio when you leave home to deter bears

More bear safety and bear-proofing tips can be found on the CPW website.

CPW said storing food, dog food or bird feed in the garage can also attract bears, as well as anything with an odor in cars or garages, including (but not limited to) scented candles, air fresheners, soaps, lotions and lip balms.

If a bear comes near your home, CPW said you can scare it away with a firm yell and loud noises like clapping hands, banging pots and pans or air horns. If a bear enters your home, make sure it can get out the same way it got in.

If you spot a black bear near your home, you can call your local CPW region or submit a form online .

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