A severe sequence of violent encounters between humans and bears in the United States has raised the alarm in the country over the past few weeks. Between mid-August and early September, different regions reported an unusual concentration of attacks, including the temperate forests of Washington state, Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska. The victims included hikers, rural residents, and urban communities.
The most serious confirmed case was the death of a 67-year-old man attacked at his own residence in New Mexico. In addition, multiple victims were hospitalized with serious injuries in common ecotourism areas of the country.
The increase in the number of cases coincides with the transition to late summer in the Northern Hemisphere. During this period, bears enter the hyperphagia phase, a biological state of compulsive calorie seeking, consuming up to 20,000 calories daily to accumulate fat reserves before the hibernation period.
