Grizzly Bear In Montana Allegedly Kills Wonan; Officials Warn Public Vs. Bear Sightings

A woman was killed in Montana after a grizzly bear suspectedly attacked her.

According to a Live Science report, the body of the woman was found near the Yellowstone National Park in the morning of July 22. The body was discovered after officials had warned the public about the presence of the grizzly bears in the area.

Authorities noted that these grizzly bears were not commonly seen, especially along the Buttermilk Trail.

Cause of death

Initial investigation showed that there were grizzly bear tracks in the place where the body was found. Still, probe is ongoing on the real cause behind the death of the woman. 

This was not the first incident of bear attack in the United States. A Good Morning America report said the death of the woman came after a spate of bear attacks in the country, including areas such as Arizona, North Carolina, and Colorado.

Citing information from the kin of the victim, the report said that the woman was on a morning hike when she was attacked by the grizzly bear.

In a Facebook post, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (Region 3) said that The Custer Gallatin National Forest already issued an emergency closure of the Buttermilk area for human safety following the incident.

"Please avoid the area. More information will be provided as it becomes available," the advisory read.

Officials said that grizzly bears could be found throughout Montana. In the previous years, the populations of grizzly bear have already been extended.

In incidents like this, park rangers usually try to kill the grizzly bear responsible for the situation, especially if they can trace and locate the animal. They usually do this before reopening the area to ensure the safety of the public.

Meanwhile, earlier reports said that on July 17, officials from the MFWP had disclosed that grizzly bears were already seen in several areas where grizzly bears have not been seen in the past years. In other cases, grizzly bears were not observed in some areas for more than a century.

Precautions against grizzly bears

An ABC News report said that workers have already established bear traps as they try to capture the grizzly bear behind the attack. The report said that officials have no decision yet on whether they would kill the grizzly bear once they find it or if they will just relocate it.

Authorities have already issued a warning, saying that people venturing into the outdoors should "Be Bear Aware" by following the precautionary measures:

- Always bring and learn how to utilize a bear spray.

- It is advised to travel in groups whenever possible and tours should be planned during the daylight hours.

- Avoid carcass areas and concentrations of ravens as well as other scavengers.

- Be wary of the signs against bears such as bear scat, diggings, torn-up logs and turned over rocks, as well as the partly consumed animal carcasses.

- Create some noise, especially in areas near streams or in thick forest where hearing and visibility are limited, so that bears could be alerted to human's presence.

- Strictly do not approach a bear.