A A black bear that allegedly mauled a three-year-old girl near Yellowstone National Park over the weekend has been euthanized, according to government officials.
The girl was sleeping in a tent at a private campground between Yellowstone and the town of Red Lodge, Montana, when the bear attacked her around 10 p.m. Sunday. The girl was taken to a medical facility in Billings for treatment of her injuries. In the meantime, the campground was evacuated and snares and traps were set.
The next day, wildlife officials captured the black bear, described as a subadult female, at the campground and shot it. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP), “The black bear involved in the incident had no history of conflict. However, the bear was likely habituated to food and humans after finding unsecured lures in the area. Evidence at the scene was consistent with the bear’s physical characteristics and FWP believes the bear killed was the bear involved in the attack.”
According to FWP, investigators found human food, coolers and garbage in and around the tent where the girl was attacked. When wild animals are exposed to human food and garbage, they may associate humans with food and lose their fear of approaching humans.
Although black bears are generally considered far less aggressive than grizzly bears, which also live in the Yellowstone region, the incident highlights the importance of keeping food and other smelly items safe while camping to reduce the risk of negative encounters with wildlife.
At this time, no information about the child’s condition has been released publicly.
FWP received assistance in this incident from the Red Lodge Police Department, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, and Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.
Featured image: A black bear photographed in Yellowstone National Park in 2015. Photo by Neal Herbert
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