The woman reportedly sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the Monday incident in Alaska
Credit: Paul Souders/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- A woman escaped a bear attack that occurred while she was hiking in southeast Alaska on Monday, Sept. 21
- She’s believed to have encountered a female bear traveling with its cub
- The hiker managed to save herself and is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries
A woman managed to save herself after she was attacked by a bear believed to be traveling with its cub during a hike in southeast Alaska earlier this week, authorities said.
The unnamed hiker was on Jones Point Trail near Haines when she was attacked by the animal on Monday, Sept. 21, around 4 p.m. local time, NBC affiliate KTUU and MLive reported.
“Our hearts and condolences certainly go out to the victim and their families,” Anthony Crupi, a regional supervisor for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s southeast region, told KTUU following the incident.
“We are a community that really supports each other, and in tragedies like these, it’s really important that people stick together,” Crupi said.
The bear being with her cub can make the animal more aggressive as it attempts to defend its young.
Fortunately, the hiker managed to escape and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to the reports.
The attack was reported to officials that night, prompting an investigation and a search for the bear involved.
Once a bear that has attacked a human has been located, sometimes with the help of DNA testing, authorities “evaluate all the information concerning the animal’s behavior and the location and … circumstances of the encounter,” Crupi said, according to KTUU.
“And then we determine what management action, if any, is appropriate,” he continued, “and we coordinate with those law enforcement agencies to do so.”
The Alaska Wildlife Troopers and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment. It’s unclear if the bear has since been located.
Crupi told the local station that the attack appears to be a “surprise encounter,” not a predatory attack.
“It seems like the victim did all the right things,” he told KTUU, “getting off the trail and trying to protect herself.”
This time of year, bears are in hyperphagia, according to the National Park Service.
Credit: Alaska State Troopers/Facebook
“As the summer season ends, the air becomes crisp, leaves change and fall from trees, and bears become more active,” the agency said. “They’re on the hunt for food. During the fall months, bears eat and drink nearly nonstop. They need to put on weight to prepare for winter and hibernation.”
As a result, bears are gathering near the Chilkat River in Haines, hunting for salmon, KTUU reported.
If someone encounters a bear, the park service advises staying “calm,” traveling in groups and never running, among other guidance.
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“Although rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death,” the agency said. “Each bear and each experience is unique; there is no single strategy that will work in all situations and that guarantees safety.”
While most encounters with a bear don’t lead to injury, it’s important to follow “basic guidelines” to stay safe. The park service added: “Your safety can depend on your ability to calm the bear.”
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