Grizzly bites hiker in surprise encounter in foggy Montana national park, officials say
Published in News & Features
A grizzly bear bit a hiker on a foggy trail in a Montana national park, officials said.
The 35-year-old man from Washington was hiking with a group Sept. 19 on the Highline Trail, Glacier National Park said in a Sept. 23 news release.
They were walking into the wind near the Grinnell Glacier Overlook Trailhead when the man “surprised a bear at close range,” wildlife officials said.
The animal then bit the man below his knee, officials said.
His group used bear spray to get the bear away, and they contacted the park’s dispatch with a satellite device, officials said. The park dispatch gave instructions on how to bandage his leg, officials said.
Rangers and members of his group helped the injured hiker reach Granite Park Chalet. He was then flown to the Apgar Corral and taken to a hospital by ambulance, officials said.
The injuries were not life-threatening, the park said.
Wildlife officials said they determined the bite was from a male grizzly bear.
“At this time, no action will be taken against the bear, because it was a surprise encounter,” John Waller, supervisory wildlife biologist, said in the news release.
Glacier National Park is in northwestern Montana, near the U.S.-Canada border.
_____
©2024 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Comments