Yellowstone Bear Destroyed

Yellowstone National Park rangers euthanized an adult female black bear Monday after it entered a backcountry campsite occupied by five backpackers, two of whom were children, as they were sitting outside of their tents. The campsite is located approximately three miles from the Hellroaring Trailhead in the northern part of the park. The bear walked up to an adult woman and bit her on the right arm and head, inflicting bruises and minor abrasions. The bear also nipped at the right hand of one of the two children. The bear then walked over to the group’s food, which was under a storage pole but not yet hung and it began consuming the food. Rangers responded by horseback and when they arrived on scene, the bear was still in the campsite eating the backpackers’ food. A decision was made to destroy the bear for four reasons:  concern for human safety, the bear entered an occupied campsite, it bit one of the occupants, and it received a considerable food reward after this behavior. Yellowstone rangers say injuries to humans by black bears are very rare, with the last such incident about seven years ago.
 

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