Seasoned Yellowstone National Park Hiker Killed By Grizzly Bear While Hiking Off Trail Near Lake Village

A man whose name had not been released has been killed in Yellowstone National Park by a grizzly bear. The man, a fifth season employee, was found dead off trail near the Elephant Back loop trail which is very popular with Lake Village employees. His body was found partially consumed and cached on Friday August 7th. A preliminary report confirms that the man has defensive marks on his forearms confirming a bear attack. The bears involved are possibly a sow with a cub of the year. There has been a large amout of rain in the park so collecting evidence in the investigation may be very hard. An official autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Here is a list of bear related deaths throughout the history of Yellowstone National Park taken from

(http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/injuries.htm)

During the 140-year (1872-2011) history of Yellowstone National Park, seven people have been killed by bears in the park. More people in the park have died from drowning, burns (after falling into thermal pools), and suicide than have been killed by bears. To put it in perspective, the probability of being killed by a bear in the park (7 incidents) is only slightly higher than the probability of being struck and killed by lightning (5 incidents).

• August 2011 - a day hiker, hiking by himself, was killed by a grizzly bear on the Mary Mountain Trail in Hayden Valley.
• July 2011 - a day hiker in a party of two was killed by an adult female grizzly bear with 2 cubs on the Wapiti Lake Trail in Hayden Valley.
• October 1986 - a photographer was killed by an adult female grizzly bear near Otter Creek in Hayden Valley.
• July 1984 - a grizzly bear killed a backpacker in a backcountry campsite located at the southern end of White Lake near Pelican Valley.
• June 1972 - an old adult female grizzly bear killed a man in an illegally established camp. The man surprised the bear when he returned to his campsite at night. The bear was in his camp feeding on food that he had left out unsecured in the campsite.
• August 1942 - a bear killed a woman at night in the Old Faithful campground. The species of bear involved was not determined.
• 1916 - a grizzly bear killed a man in a roadside camp.
• A possible fatality supposedly occurred in 1907 when a man was attacked by a female grizzly bear after he prodded her cub with an umbrella. The account of the incident appeared in a popular book, "Book of a Hundred Bears" published in 1909 by F.D. Smith. However, the validity of this incident is questionable as there is no mention of it in official park reports or local newspapers from 1907. The "Book of a Hundred Bears" contains many stories without providing back-up documentation. The 1907 story appears to be an unsubstantiated legend.

 

To avoid conflicts with bears always make noise while hiking especially around blind corners and in thick wooded areas, hike in large groups and carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Bear spray does no good in your pack, have it accessible at all times!!!

 

Not a photo of this incident.