When Peter Rizzuto of Aspen, Colorado woke up from a nap last week, he thought the neighbour's dog was nibbling at his ankle. As it turns out, it wasn't the dog -- but another, much larger, furry creature.

Man wakes from nap to find bear biting at his ankle

Find Your Forecast Search for a location

Cheryl Santa Maria

Digital Reporter

Wednesday, June 24, 2015, 3:59 PM - When Peter Rizzuto of Aspen, Colorado woke up from an outdoor nap last week, he thought the neighbour's dog was nibbling at his ankle. As it turns out, it wasn't the dog -- but another, much larger, furry creature.

"I thought it was a German shepherd," 77-year-old Rizzuto told the Aspen Times.

"I started petting it and saying 'nice doggy.' It then took my ankle but didn’t break the skin. Then I saw and looked down at his feet, and I see these big claws with really beautiful nails, and at this time I realize he’s a bear."

When Rizutto woke up, the bear backed up. He went inside and the bear wandered off.

While this story has a happy ending, wildlife officials say it also raises some cause for concern.

RELATED: Black bears chase tourists in Montana

“Black bears typically shy away from humans,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Mike Porras told the Aspen Times.

“There is a comical aspect to it, but that incident could have gotten very ugly very quickly. When a bear is close to a human and has an ankle in its jaws, I would think that is something our officers would find concerning.”

But the black bear that paid Rizzuto a visit probably wasn't interested in a meal.

While the animals will eat meat from time to time, they're generally herbivores -- and there's plenty to eat in the area this year.

According to Porras, the community of Lazy Glen that Rizzuto resides in has seen a lot of rain recently. That, combined with a lack of late frost killing of plants, has contributed to an abundance in the bear's natural food.

Source: The Aspen Times

RELATED VIDEO: LUNCH TIME FOR BEARS: