Current:Home > InvestBear injures hiker in Montana's Glacier National Park; section of trail closed-VaTradeCoin
Bear injures hiker in Montana's Glacier National Park; section of trail closed
lotradecoin accountsetup View Date:2024-12-25 23:02:40
A bear injured a hiker Thursday in Montana’s Glacier National Park, leading officials to close part of the trail where it happened.
The National Park Service announced the incident in a press release Thursday morning, adding that Glacier National Park rangers closed a section of Highline Trail. Officials will keep the closure in place until further notice.
The National Park Service said it does not know what species the bear belongs to yet, but there are black and grizzly bears in Glacier National Park.
The 35-year-old man was hiking Thursday morning when he came across a bear near the Grinnell Glacier Overlook trailhead.
Park rangers helped him hike to Granite Park Chalet, where rescue team Two Bear Air met him and flew him to Apgar horse corrals. From there, Three Rivers ambulance took the man to a hospital in Whitefish.
The park service said the man suffered non-life threatening injuries.
What to do if you see a bear
The park service said hikers should stay in groups, make noise and have bear spray on hand and know how to use it.
The park service noted on its website that while it can be “an exciting moment” to see bears, it’s most important to remember they are wild animals. Sometimes they can be unpredictable.
Bear attacks on humans are rare, the park service said, but they have sometimes led to death.
“Most bear encounters end without injury,” the park service said on its website, adding that there are steps people can take to remain safe while enjoying nature.
Tips the NPS recommends include:
- Stay calm if a bear surprises you.
- Make sure you are noticeable if you are in areas with known bear activity or good food sources like berry bushes.
- Stand your ground but slowly wave your arms.
- Remember that bears are curious and they may come closer or stand on their hind legs to get a better look or smell.
- Talk to the bear in low tones so you’re not as threatening; this will help you stay calm and you won’t appear as threatening to the bear.
- Never imitate bear sounds or make a high-pitched squeal.
- Pick up small children immediately.
- Always leave the bear an escape route.
- Never stand between a mother and her cub.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her at[email protected].
veryGood! (166)
Related
- Beyoncé will perform halftime during NFL Christmas Day Game: Here's what to know
- Black man details alleged beating at the hands of a white supremacist group in Boston
- NFL Week 5 picks straight up and against spread: Will Cowboys survive Steelers on Sunday night?
- Garth Brooks Accused in Lawsuit of Raping Makeup Artist, Offering Threesome With Wife Trisha Yearwood
- What was 2024's best movie? From 'The Substance' to 'Conclave,' our top 10
- Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's Daughter Sunday Rose Has the Most Unique Accent of All
- Soul-searching and regret over unheeded warnings follow Helene’s destruction
- Supreme Court to weigh a Texas death row case after halting execution
- Fewer U.S. grandparents are taking care of grandchildren, according to new data
- Dockworkers’ union suspends strike until Jan. 15 to allow time to negotiate new contract
Ranking
- Singaporean killed in Johor expressway crash had just paid mum a surprise visit in Genting
- International fiesta fills New Mexico’s sky with colorful hot air balloons
- A crash saved a teenager whose car suddenly sped up to 120 mph in the rural Midwest
- Armed person broke into Michigan home of rabbi hosting Jewish students, authorities say
- Stop & Shop is using grocery store kiosks to make digital
- Abortion-rights groups are outraising opponents 8-to-1 on November ballot measures
- No, That Wasn't Jack Nicholson at Paris Fashion Week—It Was Drag Queen Alexis Stone
- Jennifer Hudson gushes about Common and chats with him about marriage: 'You are my joy'
Recommendation
-
Video shows drone spotted in New Jersey sky as FBI says it is investigating
-
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark a near-unanimous choice as WNBA’s Rookie of the Year
-
As search for Helene’s victims drags into second week, sheriff says rescuers ‘will not rest’
-
Coldplay delivers reliable dreaminess and sweet emotions on 'Moon Music'
-
Trump will be honored as Time’s Person of the Year and ring the New York Stock Exchange bell
-
'It's going to die': California officer spends day off rescuing puppy trapped down well
-
Some California stem cell clinics use unproven therapies. A new court ruling cracks down
-
Jobs report is likely to show another month of modest but steady hiring gains