Black Bear Kills Woman in Colorado

Authorities said on Saturday that a 39-year-old Colorado woman was killed in an apparent black bear attack, the fourth fatal attack in the state since 1960.

The woman's friend found her body Friday night near the town of Durango, about 350 miles southwest of Denver. He searched a trail on private grounds where she frequently walked dogs and reported to authorities after her body was discovered.

Authorities said it had found furs, bears and "signs of consumption on the body." Using trained dogs, wildlife officers killed three bears "out of extreme caution," officials said.

The bears' bodies were taken to the state wildlife laboratory for autopsy. The DNA samples will be analyzed in a forensic laboratory.

An estimated 19,000 black bears have been reported by a Colorado wildlife spokesperson. He added that the agency has documented three other fatal black bear attacks on humans since it began tracking them.