Bear defending cub attacks boy, 10, hiking with family
A bear charged at a family during a hiking trip, knocking down and injuring a 10-year-old boy before his parents were able to drive the animal off with bear spray, park officials said.
The unidentified boy was hiking with his family in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, US, on Thursday, when the bear charged from the vegetation, chased the boy and knocked him to the ground, park officials said in the statement.
The boy, from Washington state, was transferred to a hospital for puncture wounds to his back, wounds around his buttocks and an injured wrist, park officials said in a statement. It’s unclear how serious his injuries are, spokeswoman Morgan Warthin said.
The park is home to grizzly and black bears, both of which are a top draw for the more than four million tourists who visit each year. It’s not clear whether the bear that attacked the boy was a grizzly or a black bear.
Yellowstone averages about one bear attack on a human per year, but it’s been three years since the last attack within in-park boundaries, according to officials.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the bear to charge.
The boy’s parents deployed bear spray about 1.5 meters from the bear’s head, causing it to leave. The family walked to the trailhead and drove to the ranger station at Old Faithful, where they were sent to a nearby clinic. He was then transferred to a hospital.
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Wildlife and law enforcement officials are investigating the attack and looking for signs that would identify the type of bear involved.
Tracks show the bear was a female with at least one cub.
Bear won’t be trapped or killed
Yellowstone National Park officials said they don’t plan to capture or kill the bear.
Park officials said Friday the bears were likely foraging and were surprised by the family of four. They say the female bear was defending its cub.
They applauded the family for doing the right thing by travelling in a group and carrying bear spray.
