A female grizzly bear apparently trying to protect her cubs attacked and killed a 57-year-old man Wednesday at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The National Park Service said the unidentified man and his wife were hiking on the Wapiti Lake trial when they came upon the bear. A group of people hiking nearby heard the wife’s screams and called for help.
“It is extremely unfortunate that this couple’s trip into Yellowstone backcountry has ended in tragedy. Our heart goes out to the family and friends of the victim as they work to cope with their loss,” Yellowstone National Park superintendant Dan Wenk said in a statement.
A Yellowstone spokesperson said the bear will not be killed or removed because her natural instinct is to protect her cubs from any kind of danger. The National Park Service said grizzly bear attacks are “extremely rare” and noted the last fatal grizzly bear attack in Yellowstone occurred in 1986.
Yellowstone closed all trails and back-country campsites after the attack.
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