Six Recent Black Bear Attacks Summer, 2024

A flurry of black bear attacks have been covered in the media in the summer of 2024. Five people were injured in the attacks. The first occurred in Alaska, at campground near Anchorage, by a male bear. The bear injured a woman’s face after scratching and biting its way into the couple’s tent. She was treated at a hospital.  From adn.com, Alaska Portage campground.

There was no food or other items that usually attract bears inside the tent and it’s not clear what prompted the rare encounter, Wardlow said. “These folks who were involved did everything right and this is just a very unusual situation where that bear still tried to get into their tent, even without there being any attractant involved.”

On June 25, what was likely the same bear attempted to break into an occupied tent. From alaskanewssource, Alaska Portage Campground:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A male black bear was shot and killed by a U.S. Forest Service officer Tuesday morning after it was found trying to break into an occupied tent near Portage.

It’s not the first time in recent days that officials have dealt with a bear encounter in the area. Earlier this month, one person was hurt when a black bear jumped on a tent with people inside just off the Portage Glacier Road. The person was not seriously hurt, but did sustain injuries in the June 14 encounter.

On July 10, an ultra long distance runner, Jon-Kyle Mohr, was attacked as he was finishing a 50 mile run in Yosemite park. Fortunately, his injuries were not severe. Bear attack long distance runner in Yosemite on July 10, 2024

The 33-year-old had headed out from his home in June Lake over the Sierra Nevada and down into the Yosemite Valley — an impressive 50-mile dash he had been planning for years, he told the outlet.

But as he was approaching the finish line, Mohr saw a huge black shape in the darkness charging at him.

He said he felt “some sharpness” on his shoulder before he was forcefully flung into the dark.

Next thing he knew, people were gathered about 100 feet away shining their headlamps in his direction and shouting, “Bear!”

On July 31, 2024, a black bear attacked 27-year-old trail runner Danny Rizzo, in Salt Lake County, Utah. Rizzo stopped and tried to “look big”.   From Belmontvoice.org:

Still, the bear started “bluff charging” at him, according to Rizzo. Then the bear did start to approach him and instinctively, Rizzo began backing up.

“I tripped over something and fell on my back, so the bear came up over me, and it got my arm in its mouth,” he said. “I pulled it out and kicked it in the head with the bottom of my shoe. It shook its head and ran off.”

Rizzo ran down the trail to alert other trail users that he’d been bitten by a bear and then drove himself to the hospital for rabies shots.

“All things considered, I was not very injured,” he said. “I have one puncture wound from a tooth and a bunch of bruising. Overall … I got pretty lucky.”

On 11 August, 2024, a three year old girl, Madison Findley-Dickson, was sleeping in a tent when a female black bear attacked and almost killed her.  From cowboysstatedaily.com:

A black bear crawled inside a tent and attacked a 3-year-old girl late Sunday at a private campground south of Red Lodge, Montana, near Yellowstone National Park.

According to her family, Madison Findley-Dickson was released from a Billings hospital Tuesday, but still faces a long recovery from her injuries. The family is from the Spokane, Washington, area and was staying at Perry’s RV Park and Campground.

Madison was asleep in a tent when the bear entered it and attacked her around 10 p.m., according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). The campground was evacuated after the attack.

Wildlife officials caught and killed the bear, a subadult female, the next day, according to FWP.

Madison’s skull was fractured. It is unclear how the bear was driven off. Madison was attacked while asleep in the tent, as stated in her gofundme account.

On August 12, 2024, a 24-year-old runner, Quanah Ottoway, was attacked in California near Long Barn. After the bear knocked him down and attacked him, he hit the female bear with a stout stick he grabbed off the ground, than ran. It worked for him. The bear chased him to a neighbor’s house. From Interview with  Quanah Ottaway, victim of bear attack:

Ottaway said he only had one thought the whole time.

“Just hauled as fast as I could, and I was thinking about my kids. Glad I didn’t take my kids with me,” he said.

He quickly made his way on top of an SUV.

Neighbors heard the commotion and came out to help.

“I just was saying, like, ‘Help! Bear!’ As loud as I could,” Ottaway said.

The neighbors began making loud noises and one even threw a log at the bear to get it to leave.

Six separate attacks. Three at campgrounds, three on people running on trails.  None of the people had weapons to fight with.   A three year old does not have the capability of fighting a bear. Long distance runners are loathe to carry extra weight.  When exercising, this correspondent usually carries a Glock 17. There are much lighter, smaller pistols available. A KelTech P32 is only ten ounces, loaded. A S&W airweight .38 is about 14 ounces. Most attacks on runners are in urban areas, by humans.   Animal attacks can be a significant risk in both urban and rural areas.

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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