(Nexstar) – Hikers are recovering after a bear attack in Yellowstone National Park, which has led park officials to consider closing a popular trail.
According to the park officials on Tuesday, a 29-year-old man was hiking along the Wild Lake Trail on the East Side when he encountered a bear. He reportedly used bear spray, but the bear made contact with him.
In a press release, officials mentioned that the man suffered “severe but non-life-threatening injuries” to his chest and left arm. He was assisted by park medics before being taken to a local clinic and subsequently flown to a hospital.
There were no immediate updates on the man’s condition.
As of Wednesday, the Wild Lake Trail remains closed while bear management staff search for other hikers in the area. It’s unclear what type of bear attacked him. The man thought it was a black bear, but rangers suggested it could have been a grizzly bear, given the size and behavior of the animal and the location of the incident. Both species inhabit Yellowstone, and staff may attempt to identify the bear through DNA testing.
Yellowstone officials stated that they “have no control over bears” and categorized the bear’s behavior as a “defensive response during a surprising encounter.”
This incident marks the first bear-related injury in Yellowstone since May 2021, although in July, a black bear had to be euthanized due to concerns over human interactions.
There have been other incidents this year where visitors were injured by wildlife in Yellowstone. In May, a man from Florida was injured by a bison, and another man from New Jersey faced a similar incident in June. In both cases, park rangers indicated that the men had gotten too close to the animals.
Last summer, two individuals were injured by bison, and one notable case occurred in 2023, which had a somewhat positive outcome. An Arizona woman, while suffering from significant injuries after being gored by a bison, managed to accept a marriage proposal from her boyfriend while hospitalized.
Additionally, last summer, a man from Idaho was arrested after allegedly kicking a bison and sustaining minor injuries in the process.
