Hiker injured by bear in Yellowstone
Male victim says he thought they were 2 grizzlies
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — A hiker was injured by a bear this morning in the Mammoth Hot Springs area of Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone authorities confirmed the victim to be a male, age 39, who sustained injuries from a bear while hiking on the Beaver Ponds Trail at Mammoth Hot Springs. The incident occurred approximately 1.5 miles from the trailhead that originates from the Old Gardiner Road.
The male was hiking alone when he encountered what he believed to be two grizzly bears. One bear made contact with the hiker and he sustained significant injuries to his lower extremities but was able to hike out on his own.
He was transported to Livingston Hospital by park ambulance.
The Beaver Ponds trail is closed until further notice. Bear management staff are sweeping the trail to ensure no other hikers are on the trail.
This is the first incident of a bear injuring a person in Yellowstone in 2021. The last incident was in June 2020, when a grizzly bear knocked a woman to the ground and scratched her thigh.
