Posted on 08/26/2012 11:20:17 AM PDT by jazusamo
A grizzly attacked and killed a lone backpacker in Denali National Park and Preserve on Friday after the man encountered the bear next to a river and lingered there snapping pictures, according to the National Park Service.
The death is the first fatal bear mauling in Alaska in seven years and the only one in the 6-million-acre park's recorded history, going back more than 90 years, the Park Service said.
"It's an extremely rare event, and it's not common that we even have injuries related to bears," said park spokeswoman Maureen McLaughlin. "We don't see a lot, and we think some of that is due to our education."
But the man -- identified late Saturday as 49-year-old San Diego, Calif., resident Richard White -- apparently ignored key parts of that education, which the Park Service says he received prior to heading into the Denali wilderness, in part of the park where there are no trails. Photos on White's camera showed he stayed near the bear, instead of leaving the area, as required by his permit, park officials said.
Alaska Wildlife Troopers assisting park rangers shot a large male grizzly Saturday believed to have killed White and cached his body the day before, the Park Service said. The rangers had been unable to recover White's remains for more than 24 hours, but retrieved him late Saturday, a park spokeswoman said.
It was Friday afternoon, when three hikers on a day trip found White's backpack on a gravel bar along the Upper Toklat River, about three miles from a rest area of the seasonal road that runs through the park, the Park Service said. Looking closer, there was evidence of a violent struggle: blood and torn clothes.
(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...
Outdoor Ping?
Another nominee for this year’s Darwin Award!
Apparently, he got to within 50 yards.
Suicide by grizzly?
Apparently, he got to within 50 yards.
Suicide by grizzly?
What the bear sees:
That’s what happens when you willingly give up your place at the top of the food chain.
Not surprised he was from Kalifornia. RIP
Guess he didn’t get the safety briefing from the park rangers - “Bears think people taste like chicken.”
One less Obabma voter.
Timothy Treadwell: Grisly, Man.
Denali is not a river in Egypt.
Yep, the sad thing about Timmy is he got his girlfriend shredded also.
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It’s sad this young man died and it’s sad the bear had to die, as well. Unfortunately, once a bear has tasted human flesh, they develop an almost insatiable appetite for it. They are literally driven to find human meat. There have been at least two cases where man-eating Alaskan bears moved to New York city to increase their chances at catching their favored prey.
Did the guy have porkchops tied to a necklace around his neck?
There have been at least two cases where man-eating Alaskan bears moved to New York city to increase their chances at catching their favored prey.
I hope they start with the idiot mayor there.
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