Colorado law enforcement officials are investigating a person’s death in a national forest after finding human remains that had been eaten by a bear near a picnic area on the Grand Mesa.
Investigators with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of human remains near the Wild Rose Picnic Area off of Land Ends Road on Sunday, sheriff’s officials said in a news release Thursday.
The picnic area is in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.
“At the time of the discovery, the remains were found to have been scavenged and scattered,” sheriff’s officials said.
Investigators found the person had been consumed by a bear and likely other wildlife, the agency said. How the person died is not clear, and their cause of death and identity will be determined by the Mesa County coroner’s office.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials do not believe there is any threat to human health or safety, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Like many areas throughout Mesa County, this area is home to black bears. When human-bear conflicts occur they are more often than not traced back to human behavior,” officials said in the news release.
Anyone who may have seen something suspicious near the picnic area between June 22 and Sunday can contact Investigator Jenna Reed at 970-244-3274.
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