The Bear Attack At The Park Is The First In Over 4 Years
Would you know what to do if you encountered a bear in the wild?
A 29-year-old man had a close call with a bear in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, and he may still be alive because of how he responded.
While hiking alone on the Turbid Lake Trail on Tuesday, September 16, a man had a “surprise encounter” with a bear, according to the National Park Service.
“The hiker began to deploy bear spray when the bear made contact, and he sustained significant but non-life-threatening injuries to his chest and left arm,” a news release from NPS states.
Medics with NPS met with the man on the trail and were able to leave the scene of the incident with the hiker reportedly walking with them. Upon reaching the trailhead, the man was met by a park ambulance and transported to the Lake Medical Clinic.
From there, he was then flown to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The Park’s Investigation
Presently, it is not known what kind of bear attacked the hiker.
The man, whose identity was not disclosed, believes he was attacked by a black bear, but NPS believes the “location, size, and behavior of the described bear suggest it might have been a grizzly bear.”
NPS stated:
“Bear management staff will attempt to confirm the species through DNA analysis, if possible.”
In light of this attack, NPS has closed the Turbid Lake Trail and searching the trail for other hikers who may presently be on it.
Since the attack by the bear is believed to be a “defensive reaction,” NPS says “the park will not be taking any management action against the bear.”
This incident remains under investigation, and it is notably the first bear attack at Yellowstone in over four years.
Back in May of 2021, a 39-year-old man was hiking alone on the Beaver Ponds Trail at Mammoth Hot Springs where he encountered two grizzly bears and was attacked by one of them.
What To Do If You See A Bear In The Wild
On the National Parks Service website, there is guidance on how to be “bear aware.”
NPS advises that hikers should stay on maintained trails, adding that one can “avoid surprising bears” by actively looking for fresh tracks, scat, and feeding sites, which include signs of digging, rolled rocks, torn up logs, ripped open ant hills, and more.
Further, hikers are told to “avoid hiking at dawn, dusk, or at night when grizzly bears are most active.”
Carrying bear spray is also recommended, with NPS providing a video on how to use bear spray.
NPS also says hikers should stay 100 yards away from bears and should not run from a bear if they encounter one on a trail.