Boy Mauled by Bear in Yellowstone
Written by Andrew-Rossi on August 24, 2018
A ten-year-old boy was mauled by a bear yesterday while hiking with his family in Yellowstone.
The family of four from Washington state was hiking about a half mile up the Divide Trail, southeast of Old Faithful, at around 10 a.m. Thursday, when the bear charged out of nearby vegetation towards them. The ten-year-old ran away from the bear, but the bear chased the boy and knocked him to the ground.
His parents effectively deployed bear spray about five feet from the bear’s face, which sent the bear away from the boy. The family walked back to the trailhead and drove to the Old Faithful Ranger Station, and were directed to the nearby clinic. The 10-year-old suffered an injured wrist, puncture wounds to the back and wounds around the buttocks. He was transferred to the Big Sky Medical Center.
Rangers have closed the Spring Creek and Divide Trails temporarily while law enforcement and bear management staff are investigating the incident, including looking for sign that would identify the bear species.
Although there is an average of one bear attack per year in the Park, there hasn’t been a reported bear attack in Yellowstone since 2015.
