A trail runner in Utah was attacked by a black bear in late July and survived the encounter, but state wildlife officials had to euthanize the animal due to the aggressive behavior. The man, who was unidentified by state officials, said he was running on trails in the Mill D North area of Big Cottonwood Canyon — in Salt Lake County, about 15 miles southeast of Salt Lake. The man heard a bear in the brush, which emerged and approached him. The man tried to appear big, as recommended, and yell at the bear while backing away.

He continued to do so but then tripped over a log and fell backward. The female bear, which had bluff charged two times already, surged again and bit the man’s upper arm. The man escaped after kicking the bear, which ran away.

Officials said the man drove himself to the hospital for treatment of puncture wounds. He called the Utah DWR to report the incident shortly after 1 p.m., and biologists and conservation officers responded to search for the bear. Using tracking hounds, they located it about 9:45 p.m.

Officials said, “because the bear had shown aggressive behavior and injured a person it was euthanized, per policy.”