MOOSE, Wyo. — A grizzly bear attacked and seriously injured a man in western Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, prompting the closure of the park’s mountains on Monday.
The grizzly bear was one of two that surprised a 35-year-old Massachusetts man on Signal Mountain Sunday afternoon.
Rescuers loaded the injured man into an ambulance by helicopter and transported him to a nearby hospital.
Park officials said in a statement that he is expected to recover, but did not identify him.
The statement did not provide details about the man’s injuries or how he encountered the bear. Park authorities closed trails and roads leading to the observation deck atop the 2,300-meter (7,700-foot) mountain.
The attack occurred as Grand Teton and nearby Yellowstone National Park enter the summer tourist season.
Several such attacks occur each year as the region’s grizzly bear population grows. Park officials urge people to give bears plenty of space, carry bear spray and avoid leaving food out that could attract bears.
