Black bear bites woman and child, then devours their food, Yellowstone officials say

A black bear walked up to a woman and bit her arm and head, Yellowstone National Park officials said. Then the bear nipped at a child.

Three adults and two children were sitting outside their tents at the backcountry campsite when the adult female bear approached them, park officials said.

“The bear walked up to an adult woman and bit her on the right arm and head, inflicting bruises and minor abrasions,” Yellowstone officials said in a news release. “The bear also nipped at the right hand of one of the two children. The bear then walked over to the group’s food, which was under a storage pole but not yet hung and began consuming it.”

The bear was still eating the backpackers’ food when rangers arrived, Yellowstone said. The campsite was about 3 miles from the Hellroaring Trailhead in the northern part of the park.

Rangers killed the bear because of the safety concerns it created, as well as its behavior, park officials said. They noted the bear also “received a considerable food reward after this behavior.”

Black bear injuries are rare at Yellowstone and happen about once in every 7 years, the park said.

“The risk of being injured by a black bear while in backcountry campsites in Yellowstone National Park is approximately 1 in 850,000 overnight stays,” Yellowstone Bear Management Biologist Kerry Gunther said in the news release. “Although the risk is low, the park recommends that backcountry campers carry bear spray while hiking and when in camp. Hang food from the food pole at all times except when cooking or eating.”

This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Black bear bites woman and child, then devours their food, Yellowstone officials say."