Yellowstone Grissly Mauls Park Visitor

[Kor37 9]

Yellowstone Grizzly Mauls Park Visitor

Victim Hikes to Safety With Severe Facial Injuries

AP

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (May 24) - A park visitor was attacked by a grizzly bear Wednesday and hiked miles to safety with severe facial injuries, park officials said.

 

The man, in his late 50s, was taking photographs of bears when he was attacked, according to a statement from the park. He told rangers he had been attacked by a sow with a cub.

 

After the attack, he hiked two to three miles and was discovered by other park visitors around 1 p.m., the statement said. He was hospitalized, but officials declined to release his condition Wednesday evening.

 

"I was told that the injuries to his face were severe," Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said, adding that the injuries were the type that result from clawing.

 

Park officials will investigate the attack, Nash said.

 

Grizzly bears and black bears, including sows with cubs, are active in the spring, Park Service officials said. Park visitors are encouraged to travel in groups, make noise and carry pepper spray.

 

No human injuries from bears were reported in Yellowstone last year, and only eight minor injuries have been reported since 2000, the Park Service reports. The last bear-caused human fatality in the park was in 1986.

 

 

 

*Scratches off Yellowstone as possible summer vacation destination..............*

[trekz 7]

Don't be too hasty, Kor. This is still Spring when protective mothers are guarding their young cubs. Added to this is the fact this man was photographing animals, which implies that he may have been getting too close in order to get a "great" picture. I know I've gotten a bit closer to animals , though nothing as scary as a grizzly, when taking pictures. It's easy to do when you get caught up in getting a good picture. Grizzlies are big and I would not want to see one too close, especially a mother with a cub.

 

I once was hiking in the Tetons, by myself and not making enough noise, when I came upon a black bear and her two cubs eating berries right along the trail. She snorted and ran a bit, distracting me while her cubs climbed a tree. I backpedaled slowly way back the trail, watched and when the bears seemed to be gone, after taking a look at me, I stomped around that part of the trail to get to my car. These guys just wanted to eat and in most cases imo animals want to avoid us.

 

That said the scenery in the Tetons and Yellowstone is spectacular. Taking commonsense precautions and especially hiking in a group one should have no trouble. If there are problem bears around, trails in that area are usually closed in national parks. I would still consider it as a great destination!