Bear Attacks Family In Yellowstone National Park, 10-Year-Old Injured

A bear charged at a family in Yellowstone National Park on Thursday, injuring a 10-year-old boy, before it fled the scene after the family used bear spray, park officials said.

The boy from Washington state, who remains unidentified, was transferred to Big Sky Medical Center, Montana. He suffered puncture wounds to his back, wounds around his buttocks and an injured wrist, an official statement from the National Park Service said.

It’s unclear how serious his injuries were, Morgan Warthin, spokeswoman for the park, reportedly said. The bear species involved in the attack was not immediately identified.

The boy and his family of four were hiking along a trail inside the park when the attack happened. They encountered the bear half mile up the Divide Trail, southeast of Old Faithful inside the park at about 10 a.m. MDT (12 p.m. EDT), the statement said. The boy ran away when the bear suddenly charged towards the family out of the vegetation it was hiding behind. It chased the boy, finally knocking him down.

“The parents effectively deployed bear spray about five feet from the bear’s face. Thereafter, the bear shook its head and left the area,” the statement said. The family then proceeded to walk back to the trailhead, and drove to the Old Faithful Ranger Station. They were then directed to a nearby clinic where the boy was examined and given first aid. The boy was transferred to the hospital after it was found that he was suffering from wounds that needed more treatment.

“Law enforcement and bear management staff responded immediately to the area and are currently investigating the incident, including looking for sign that would identify the bear species,” the park statement said. “The Spring Creek and Divide trails are temporarily closed.”

The Yellowstone National Park is home to both grizzly and black bears. The bears are a huge attraction to the more than 4 million tourists who visit the park each year. According to park officials, the park sees about one bear attack per year.

The last time a fatal bear attack was reported in the park was in 2015, when a hiker died after an attack by a grizzly bear. The body was found “partially consumed and cached, or covered” a statement from the park about the incident said at the time.

“All of Yellowstone National Park is bear habitat: from the deepest backcountry to the boardwalks around Old Faithful. Please prepare for bear encounters no matter where you go. Reduce your risk of a bear encounter by carrying bear spray. Be alert, make noise, hike in groups of three or more, do not run if you encounter a bear and stand your ground if charged by a bear,” the statement said.

In an unrelated incident, a young French mountaineer was attacked by a large brown bear on Monday. Lucas Meurlet, a 22-year-old from Nantes, France, survived a bear attack unscathed. He was hiking with his family near the hillside in Catalonia’s Aran Valley, very close to the France’s border with Spain. He set off alone to scale a ridge, which is when the incident happened. He came face to face with a female bear and her three cubs.

“I spread my arms and tried to intimidate her,” he said, recalling the incident. “She charged at me twice, the third time she opened her mouth wide. Suddenly, I found it in me to show the bear that I wanted to keep my life. I screamed at her with all my strength. And the bear actually took a step back and left.”